Morgead's view on Huntress
by Jynxiii
Summary: This is what I perceive that Morgead would feel through Huntress.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Night World, or the genius behind it. Hope you like!**

**Chapter 1**

"It's simple," Jez said, "You run. We chase. If we catch you, you die. We'll give you three minutes head start."

I rolled my eyes. Hunts used to be so much simpler when I was leader of the gang, but Jez beat me a year back, so now we had complicated games.

"Pick a weapon," she continued. She nudged at the pile of weapons at her feet, "hey, take more than one. Take as many as you like. My treat."

Thistle tried to stifle a giggle, but it broke through. Jez made a sharp gesture behind her, and the giggling stopped instantly. I tensed my muscles as the leader of the gang of skinheads in front of us dived for the pile. He came up with a gun, of course. They always picked guns.

Jez threw back her head and laughed as the skinhead pointed it at her.

She had one hand on her hip, her red hair cascading down her back like a waterfall, and although I couldn't see her eyes, I knew they would be a flashing colour in between silver and blue.

Yep, she was beautiful, and yep, she knew it.

She lowered her head and fixed her gaze with the leader's. He didn't get the clue.

"Chase this," he said, and he fired the gun.

She moved at the last instant, twisting away, but the bullet passed through her arm. She glanced down and hissed.

"Do you know how much leather costs? Do you know how much a North Beach jacket costs?" she growled at the skin head, advancing menacingly.

I rolled my eyes again and groaned inwardly at her vanity, watching impatiently as she dodged the rest of the bullets that the skin head fired at her. She reached the skin head without getting hit again, and grabbed the front of his jacket, lifting him up off the ground.

"You better run, boy," she said, barely concealed excitement in her voice. She threw him hard and he sailed through the air a remarkable distance, hitting a tree a good twenty metres away. He scrambled up, fear widening his eyed, looked at Jez, glanced at his gang, then pelted to the woods.

The other gang members stared after him for a moment before plunging for the pile of weapons. They all came up holding guns. They fired them wildly, us, dodging the bullets that ripped through the air. I sent an exasperated telepathic message to Jez.

_Can we go after them _now?_ Or do you want to show off some more?_

She glanced over her shoulder at me, her eyes narrowing and flashing pure silver.

"I told them three minutes," she retorted out loud, not paying attention to the bullets, "You want me to break my word?"

A bullet whizzed towards her, I knocked her over so that I was lying on top of her. I glared into her wide shocked eyes.

"But... they're... not... running," I hissed at her with exaggerated patience. Not that I was feeling patient, "In case you haven't noticed!"

I have to admit I liked the way her body felt against mine, but Jez had other ideas. She kicked me off.

"This is my game. We play it my way!" she yelled, as outraged as a provoked snake.

The skin heads were scattering anyway. They'd finally figured out that shooting was pointless. Jez turned away from me.

"OK, now!" Jez called, "but the leader's mine."

The gang hollered yells that sounded like war cries. Val yelled "Yeeeehaw!" Thistle and Raven sprinted off next, and Pierce hung back, waiting to give his prey the illusion of escaping. Jez shot off after the leader, her hair rippling.

I sprinted after mine too, running through the close-set trees after my prey. He was shooting glances behind his back, and didn't see the tree root that tripped him up until it was too late. He sprawled on the floor then scrambled to his feet and backed away against a tree, holding the gun up.

"Stay... stay away," he said, his voice breaking.

I ignored him and opened my mouth into a grimace. I could feel my canines lengthening until they were long, slightly translucent and very, very sharp.

The skin head gasped as I moved forwards into a patch of moonlight. "Who are you?" he whispered.

"Death," I answered simply, talking easily in spite of the teeth. I lunged and my teeth, sharp as obsidian, pierced his neck. I drank deeply, hardly noticing when he struggled against me. His struggles got weaker and weaker until they stopped completely.

A telepathic call equivalent to a siren interrupted me as I drained the last drops of blood from the skin head.

_Everybody! This is Jez. Come to me, right now! Drop what you're doing, and come!_

She was almost hysterical, which was rare for Jez.

_What's wrong? _ I called out telepathically to her.

_I'll explain later, _she said after a pause. _I just found out that... it's not safe to feed here._

She cut the telepathic link short and I sprinted to the clearing where I could feel her power. I was the first one there. She was leaning against a tree, her eyes gazing unseeingly into the forest.

"What's wrong?" I asked out loud.

Her eyes flicked to mine and I was shocked at what I saw. She was panicked, and scared. I could see that in her eyes. It had replaced the usual bright excitement.

She took a deep breath, and pushed her hand through her hair. It fell through her hands like satin.

"Morgead, it's probably best not to feed tonight. I'll... I'll explain why tomorrow," she murmured.

I walked closer to her as the rest of the gang spilled through the trees.

"We'll hunt again tomorrow," she said immediately, "just go home now, all of you."

They went without question, although Val was sighing heavily. I stayed.

"I meant you too, you know," she said to me, her voice soft and dangerous.

"I'm not going until you tell me what's wrong," I said to her.

She glared at me for a second, than looked back into the trees.

"I'm not sure. Maybe I'm over-reacting, but I've got a bad feeling about this place."

She turned to walk away. I grabbed her arm to stop her and she turned, glancing at my hand on her arm, then at my eyes.

"Are you sure that you're alright, Jez? You're not the type of person to over-react."

She smiled softly. My heart beat faster. She was so beautiful when she smiled.

"I'm sure, Morgead. I just want to go home."

I stared at her silvery- blue eyes for a second longer, trying to read them then let her go. She walked away, and turned back to wave when she reached the fringe of the trees.

**So, what do you think? should I keep on uploading?**


	2. Chapter 2

**As much as I wished I did, I do not own Night World.**

**Chapter 2**

I reached consciousness slowly. Something was pulling edges of my mind.

"Jez!" I said out loud, then stood up so quickly my head spun.

I shook my head, flicking my hair out my eyes. I dressed quickly and checked the time. Two 'o' clock. The rest of the gang would be out of school in an hour. I left my penthouse apartment and ran down the stairs to wait outside for them. My heart was beating unevenly – I was scared to death about Jez. I hoped was alright. She may be conceited, hot-headed, stubborn, power-hungry, the whole lot, but I loved her.

The hour as I waited for the rest of the gang to come out was painful. I'd always had an over-reactive imagination, imagining the worst things. Would Jez leave? Did she just find out that her Uncle Bracken was ill? Not much worried Jez Redfern.

I was sitting on the bench next to my building, my head in my hands, when the gang arrived.

"Morgead! Jez wasn't at school today!" Raven blurted as soon as she was within earshot.

"What?" I said, standing up quickly. It was a wonder I could talk at all, the worry felt like it was causing a blockage in my throat.

"She wasn't there! What can we do?" Thistle wailed.

"I'm sure she's alright. I mean, it's Jez. She can sure take care of herself." Val said. But his eyes were worried.

"We'll look around town today. She couldn't have gone too far," I said. My voice was strangled.

We spent the whole day looking for her. Looking for her unique power signature, but she wasn't anywhere. It was midnight by the time that we gave up and went to Uncle Bracken's house, where she lived.

I took a deep breath before ringing the doorbell. The pain in my chest was of the acutest kind. All I could think of was _JezJezJez. _Constantly.

The door opened and once again, I was struck by his eyes. They were the silvery-blue of Jez's eyes. Exactly the same. My heart thudded a broken, erratic metre as I registered the expression on his face.

Panic. Outright panic.

"Jez?" I whispered.

Bracken took a deep breath, and pushed his hand through his hair.

"I don't know. She just... disappeared," he said.

I closed my eyes, fighting the tears that threatened to overwhelm and spill out my eyes. I couldn't show weakness.

But... if she had left, by her own choice? Betrayal flooded through me.

If that was the case, then I couldn't count on anyone. She wasn't here anymore. Like everyone that ever mattered to me. My father, my mother... and now Jez.

But whether she left because she had to, or because she wanted to, the end result was the same. The world was cold now that she was gone.

I fought to get back in control. The rest of the gang couldn't see that their leader was hurt.

My eyes opened.

"Okay," at least voice was under control. I swallowed.

"Could you tell us if you have any leads on her?" Pierce's cold voice said, "We know that she can take care of herself, but... Morgead will probably go crazy if we don't hear from her soon, and it's not fun to have a crazy gang leader."

Pierce was the coldest of the group, but also one of the most trustworthy. He came through for vampires.

"I'll tell you if I hear from her," Bracken said, and he shut the door.

I was fighting to keep the tears under control. I excused myself and walked as quickly as I could, then as soon as I was out of sight of the gang, I sprinted to my apartment.

The tears were coming now. As soon as I was in the penthouse apartment, I was crying. It was all too much. I'd always counted on Jez when I could count on no-one else. My father, my father, Jez... I could count on no-one.

But as much as her abandoning me hurt, it was better than the alternative. If she was dead, it would be so much worse. She was like the sun; the world was nothing without her.

I took a couple of deep breaths, and stopped the tears.

I was Morgead Blackthorn. I needed no-one. As long as I thought that, I would get over this.

"I don't need Jez, I don't need Jez..." I chanted to myself over and over.

I could feel myself hardening, and the pain ebbed away a bit. I would always love her, always feel pain, but I _could _get over this.

I stood up, forcing myself to let her go. The mirror next to the door where I had collapsed reflected my face. It was sullen, no reminder of what had happened. I would forget it. I forced a smile onto my face, and then went out the door.

Hunting would help.


	3. Chapter 3

**I do not own Night World. Thanks for all the reviews.**

**Chapter 3**

The days were duller somehow, as if the sun really had dimmed.

The only time I thought of her was in the mental weakness when I was half-asleep. I could see again her flashing, silver-blue eyes, her glorious red hair surrounding her like sun beams. The only vibrant, good thing in my life. I tried not to think of her, but it was a challenge.

I woke up. It was a year since she had left, but nothing had changed. Still I loved her. Still I tried to deny it.

I sighed and hopped gracefully off the couch and went through the routine. Shook my head to get the hair out of my eyes, got washed, dressed, and sat down on the couch in time for the gang to come through the door, shouting greetings.

I smiled at them, knowing it was a manic smile.

"Let's go kill some vermin!" Val shouted.

I rolled my eyes and said, "Go on ahead. There was a film on TV that I wanted to watch. Do what you want."

They all smiled and walked out the door, Val already making plans to how they should track down some vermin. I sprawled on the couch and turned on the TV.

The movie was about a doomsday asteroid. It wasn't too bad, but a news station broke in halfway through.

A girl was trapped in a fire. The building was one of those council flats downtown, the stocky, ugly pale brown ones. The girl's eyes were frightened, but not hysterical. I leaned forwards. Suddenly there was a blue flash and the flames disappeared.

I blinked. A prophecy that I'd heard a few months ago flashed through my mind.

_Four to stand between the Light and the Shadow,_

_Four of Blue Fire, power in the blood,_

_Born in the year of the Blind Maiden's vision,_

_Four less One and Darkness triumphs._

Blue fire...

I rewinded the TV, and played it in slow-motion.

At normal speed, it seemed like a flicker, easily missed, or put down as a problem with the camera, but in slow-motion, it was unmistakable.

A blue dot in the centre of the screen, next frame, it covered the entire screen. The slide after, the flames – and the blue substance – was gone.

Blue fire...

The Wild Powers. The four people who would be needed at the apocalypse. To save the world. Or to destroy it.

Another prophecy I'd heard resounded in my memory.

_One from the land of Kings long forgotten,_

_One from the hearth which still holds the spark,_

_One from the Day World, where two eyes are watching,_

_One from the Twilight to be one with the Dark._

The Day World, not the Night World. The human world.

I turned the TV off and ran quickly into the streets, clearing the ground with a long-strided lope. I found Thistle easily enough. She was feeding in Muir Woods, on a young man. I waited impatiently until she was finished.

"Do you remember the Wild Powers we were told about?" I asked her as Raven jogged from the trees. Thistle nodded.

I took a deep breath, "I think I may have found one."

Thistle's mouth dropped open, her eyes widened and her entire body tensed. Raven gasped, her hand flying to her throat in surprise.

My longing for Jez intensified. She would have been proud to have found something so powerful, which could be used for such elevation in rank. She should be next to me, her eyes bright with excitement, her hair shimmering in a non-existent breeze, standing proudly with one hand on her waist, laughing at Thistle and Raven's reaction.

"...How?" Raven managed to say.

"You've finally lost it, haven't you?" Thistle murmured.

I glared at her.

"Get the rest of the gang together. I want you all at my apartment in twenty minutes," I ordered, then turned around and stalked back to my apartment. Once there, I rewinded the TV back to the beginning of the newsflash. I sat back and tried to relax... not thinking about what she would be saying if she were here with me right now.

My gang barged through the door.

"What is this about a Wild Power, Morgead?" Pierce said, his cold grey eyes flashing.

"You understand we'll be more powerful than ever if we've found the first Wild Power?" a big, booming voice said. Val.

"We could be rich, too!" Thistle shrieked excitedly, dancing around.

"Quit it, all of you, and let him speak!" Raven shouted above the commotion. The most mature of the group as always.

I smiled at her and gestured for them to come closer. They crowded around me obediently.

"Watch this," I said, and played the TV. By the end of it they were all wearing expressions from mild mis-understanding, to outright confusion.

"I don't get it. Is it the presenter?" Thistle said, her head cocked to one side.

To respond, I rewinded the TV, and played it again in slow motion.

They all gasped in unison when the saw the blue flash.

"Blue fire..." Raven murmured, "That's incredible. It's the girl..."

"Right, Raven," I said, "I've thought through a plan. Thistle, you could get to know the girl, befriend her. Then we kidnap her and send her to council. I'm going to contact Hunter Redfern and ask for a seat on the council before I give him any leads on the Wild Power."

They all watched me as if I had gone crazy. I might as well have. I was running on a weird high.

"I know they probably won't take me up on the offer," I continued hurriedly, "but I'm hoping he'll give me control of San Francisco or something like that after the millennium."

After the millennium. As in, after the end of the world.

"Clever," that was Pierce.

I grinned. "Right. Shall we find out more about this girl?"

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

The girl's name was Iona Skelton. She was very trustworthy, and thistle had befriended her quickly. We were already planning the kidnapping.

Pierce thought that it would be thorough if we brought her to the roof of the building where I lived, and surround her with fire. Then we would wait to see the Wild Power in action.

I'd contacted Hunter, saying that I had discovered a Wild Power. He seemed impressed, but wouldn't offer me anything, so I wouldn't give him any leads. Same with the council. All I had to do was wait for the opportunity, and keep my mouth shut until either Hunter or the council offered me something good.

I didn't care what Hunter or the council were planning to do with the Wild Powers. The human world would be over, and a new species would overrun them. With our powers, the Night People would survive

The world was changing. Even humans had noticed this. They were reporting numerous strange happenings. Global warming, more diseases, more animal attacks... the list went on. The reins of this planet would be handed over, and humans would most likely perish.

I'd always despised humans. They'd had things I didn't have. Love, family, protection... I'd lost all of this. The only place I'd ever really belonged was with Jez, but that was gone now. I belonged nowhere. I had no ties, nothing I could or ever would rely upon. I was Morgead Blackthorn. The hunter.

**I won't be able to update much for a couple of weeks. I have a Music Theory exam that I have to study for, and my teachers are cruel and set me impossible amounts of homework per day. Grr!!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I do not own Night World**

**Chapter 4**

It was a day like any other. I woke up in time for the gang to meet me after school, and we got the motorbikes to drop Thistle off round Iona's aunt's house, where Iona and her mother were staying. The rest of went hunting for big game on the outskirts of town. Thistle joined us after a while, and we decided to do the kidnapping the next day. Thistle was excited.

"She really trusts me, _and _says I'm her best friend. She's gonna get a shock!" she sang, dancing around my apartment crazily.

I rolled my eyes. "Why don't you go to school now? I'm quite tired," I said, and I ushered them out of the door.

I collapsed on the couch and got to sleep quickly.

I was woken up by someone prodding me with a stick and saying, "Morgead."

I opened my eyes, reading to bash that person's head in, but froze.

Silvery-blue eyes, flaming red hair... She was alive! She was staring at me warily, clutching a wooden spear.

"Jez," I said.

She came back. Happiness flooded through me.

"Hi, Morgead," she said.

"You came back," I could hear the longing in my voice.

I got up, glaring at her, "Where the hell have you been?"

She stuck out her chin rebelliously, squaring her shoulders.

"I can't tell you," she said, grim humour, and strange relief in her eyes.

I shook my hair out my eyes, noting her weapon and tense posture. I relaxing in a way that meant I could defend myself at an instants notice.

"You can't tell me? You disappear one day without any kind of warning, without even leaving a _note..._ and now you reappear and you can't tell me where you've been?" I growled at her. She had to understand the pain she had me through!

"What did you think you were doing, cutting out on everyone? Did it ever occur to you that people would worry about you? That people might think you were dead?" I couldn't stop now.

No-one hurts Morgead Blackthorn and gets away with it, I thought. Rage was tinting the room red. I glanced at Jez. She looked startled and wondering.

"Look, I didn't mean to hurt anybody. And I can't talk about why I went. But I'm back now-" she said, a panicked expression on her face.

"You can't just come back!" I interrupted. I started pacing the room.

"I know I can't just come back-!"

"Because it doesn't work that way!" I turned to glare at her. Her eyes flashed almost pure silver; she hated being interrupted. I continued, "Blood in, blood out. Since you're apparently not dead," my heart sang at these words, "You abandoned us. You're not allowed to do that!" She was the one who made up that stupid rule, "And you certainly can't expect to just walk back in and become my second-in-command again-!"

"I don't!" Jez yelled. She glared at me with pure fury, blushing faintly, her hands in fists at her sides. Her eyes were that beautiful silver, her hair, although pulled in a loose knot at the back of her neck, was still framing her face. I was struck dumb at her beauty. She took deep breath, lifted her chin and said, "I have no intention of becoming your second-in-command!" Well, at least she was being reasonable, "I came to challenge you as leader."

My jaw dropped.

Reasonable.

Yeah, right.

_Leader?_

"You... have got to be... joking," She was crazy! "You expect to waltz back in here as leader?"

"If I can beat you. I think I can. I did it once."

I stared at her. She really was crazy! But I knew she couldn't beat me. No-one could. I threw back my head laughed. This was going to be fun. Maybe I could knock some sense into her mind.

I looked into her eyes again. She seemed wary, but not frightened.

"Yeah, you did," I said, "but I've gotten better since then."

Jez said three words. "So have I."

I tensed, dropping into a fighting stance, and reached behind me to get my favourite weapon. It was Japanese oak, and I'd had it specially made. I thought up a quick plan. The simplest one. I would try to break the wrist of the right hand, and then go in for the kill. I needed to win this battle. She had to _pay._ I couldn't let her slip away again.

I thrust my stick towards her, aiming for her right wrist. She twisted agilely, tried for a trap, but she wasn't quick enough. I whipped my stick out the way, sliding backwards, out of her range. I smiled at her shocked, scared expression. I could almost hear her thinking, _he _has_ gotten better..._ But she recovered quickly, narrowing her eyes slightly.

"You're so predictable, Morgead," she told me, "I could fight you in my sleep." She feinted towards my wrist, then turned at the last second, trying to drag my feet out from under me.

I blocked her and tried for a trap. I smiled tightly. It was a tradition that Jez and I insulted each other when we fought. "Oh yeah? And you hit like a four-year-old. You couldn't take me down if I stood here and let you."

We circled each other.

She grinned at me, obviously enjoying herself.

"Next, you're going to try for a head strike, because you always do," she said coolly.

Yeah, right.

"You think you know everything. But you don't know me anymore. I've changed," I said calming, then thrust my stick towards her head.

"Psyche," I said as she blocked it.

"Wrong," she said, just as I noticed my mistake. She twisted the stick sharply. She had complete control over my weapon. She pushed it down, holding it down against my upper thighs. "Trap," she said, grinning.

Her eyes widened when she looked at me. We were so close – I could have bent less than two inches and pressed my lips against hers. Her eyes were soft, more bright blue than silver. I gazed into them.

But... I couldn't let her hurt me again.

As I thought this, something flashed in her eyes, something like...

_Triumph._

She was tricking me.

I stepped out of the trap.

"Don't try _that_ stuff," I growled at her, putting as much venom in my voice as I could to someone I loved.

"What stuff?" she said, bewildered. But not bewildered enough. She thrust her stick towards my eyes.

"You know what stuff!" I yelled, deflecting her strike as harshly as I could. "That 'I'm Jez and I'm so wild and beautiful' stuff. That 'Why don't you just drop you're stick and let me hit you because it'll be fun' stuff."

"Morgead... what are you... talking about?" A strike to my throat, my temple. I blocked her, but had to retreat. She was crowding me into a corner.

"That's the only way you won before. Trying to play on people's feeling for you," Too much information! "Well, it won't work anymore!"

She pushed me back further into the corner.

"Hey, all's fair, right?" she said softly, but her expression was hard, "And what do you mean, it won't work? I've got you cornered, haven't I?" She struck towards my head, my chest, "You're caught, and you're going to have to let your guard down sometime."

I had an idea. Night people had gotten stronger and stronger telepathically. I calmed myself down, drawing in Power from my mind. I got ready to find her mind.

"Unless I do something unexpected," I said. I knew that I had her.

"Nothing you do is unexpected," she said, still as softly. She smiled gently.

Well, what about his?

I found her mind, and pushed against the walls that were surrounding it, hitting her with a steady stream of Power. I held some back, though, enough to attack her again. I had to make sure she didn't win.

_I couldn't let her leave again._

Jez staggered back two steps. Her hair shimmered slightly as she jerked her head back, trying to get away from the Power. I darted out of the corner where she had trapped me. Her eyes were distant, shock plain on her face. She didn't turn until I talked to her.

"It's not hard," I said, answering the question that was probably going through her mind, "All it takes is practice."

She was in trouble now, and she knew it.

I lunged for a side, sweep. She had a complete lack of balance. She did block me, but weakly. Her eyes weren't completely focused.

"As you said, all's fair," I said, smiling coldly. I didn't enjoy her pain. It was hurting me to hurt her in any way, "You have your weapons, I have mine," I pushed on, regardless.

I threw another load of Power at her. She rocked backwards, almost falling. She moaned slightly, so softly, but with so much pain, that my resolve faltered.

But _I couldn't let her leave again._

I leapt forwards and caught her stick against mine and swung it round in an arc, trying to force her over. She fought for balance and my stick slipped.

It hit her elbow, hard. She gasped. I hadn't meant to do that!

I could tell her elbow was hurting. I wanted to finish this quickly, so that she wouldn't hurt for any longer than necessary.

I hit towards her shoulder with my stick, towards her neck, then twisted the stick down before she could stop me and slammed it against her ribs. She gasped again. Her eyes were unfocused. I whacked her knee, and her legs buckled. I smiled at her.

"You can give up any time, now," I said, "Because I'm going to win and we both know it."

She looked at me, with wide, child-like eyes. She backed up, then stepped side-ways, holding the stick to far down to counter my attacks properly.

Giving me an opening.

I lifted up my stick, and brought it down, hard and fast.

I noticed my mistake as soon as it was too late. She had tricked me.

She twisted to the side, my stick missed. As I fought to bring it back up, she jammed the blunt end of her stick into my stomach, knocking the wind out of me. Instantly, she whipped the stick back, and jammed it behind my knees, forcing me onto my back. As soon as I was on the floor, she kicked my wrist, sending the stick cluttering across the room. She held the pointed end of her stick against the hollow of my throat.

Jez smiled triumphantly, breathing hard. "Yield or die."

**Dum dum dum!!!**

**I know it's probably not a cliff hanger for about 99% of people who would ever read this, but I'm having fun!**

**I've been thinking about starting another story, about Seth Clearwater (from Twilight). I want to write about the girl who he'll imprint upon... Probably me... I adore Seth:) 3  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**I'm sorry it's taking so much more time to upload lately; I've had to be constantly revising for my Music Theory test. It's over now, so I will be uploading every couple of days now.**

**I don't own Night World.**

**Chapter 5**

She stood above me, her eyes bright with triumph, strands of her hair falling down, framing her face.

I tried to ignore her beauty and the way her smile made my heart react.

"You tricked me!" I hissed at her, glaring.

"All's fair," she said, smiling wider.

I narrowed my eyes. I got ready to draw Power from my mind, getting all the energy could. Her eyes widened slightly, and I knew she knew I was going to hit her with the Power again. She shifted her stick to press against my collarbone. As I found her mind and attacked, she leaned against the stick, digging into my skin. I fought against flinching as a splinter went into me, drawing blood.

It was so powerful it actually blew her hair back. She paled slightly, her breath caught in her throat. She clenched the stick harder, keeping it against me.

I finally ran out of Power. I hissed at her. She had the nerve to smile!

"Got anything else?" She paused for a second, her eyes mocking me, "No? I didn't think so."

I growled quietly. "Drop dead, Jezebel."

She glared at me. She hated her full name.

"You first, Morgy," she said, raising her eyebrows. She leaned harder on the stick.

"So kill me," I retorted.

"Morgead-"

"It's the only way you're going to win. Otherwise, I'm just going to lie here and wait to recharge. And when I've got enough Power I'll hit you again."

Although I wouldn't mind dying like this. Seeing her again was enough.

"You never know when it's over, do you?" she said, exasperated.

"It's never over."

Her eyes flashed silver. "I didn't to have to do this," she hissed, " but I will."

I watched her. She would be the last thing I saw.

But she didn't make the strike. Instead, she bent down and grabbed my wrist.

I watched her warily. What was she doing?

She locked my wrist and lifted the stick from my throat to place it against my wrist.

I almost burst out laughing. She didn't want to break my wrist? As it was, I did smile.

"Give up, Morgead."

I quickly controlled my expression, going back to my glaring.

"Bite me," I said.

"I'm going to break your wrist."

Then why was she taking so long to do it?

"Fine, I hope you enjoy it," I said, trying to control the exasperation. I narrowed my eyes at her.

She looked at me, head to one side, watching me in wonder. After a few seconds, she sighed quietly, and her expression hardened.

"Morgead, give!"

I fought against my natural instincts to flinch. It was hurting me, hell, it was most likely hurting her to keep up the pressure, but I kept in control, just glaring at her.

"You're so stubborn"" she yelled at me.

Her arm was beginning to tremble. She bit her lip, tensed, and...

I couldn't help it. I hissed in pain, flinching. I braced myself for the rest of the pain that would surely come, but it didn't.

Jez dropped my wrist and collapsed on the ground next to me. I sat up quickly, wondering whether she was hurt, but she seemed fine. She was glaring at the stick clenched in her hands, her jaw tight, shoulders hunched.

"What are you doing?" I said. Jezebel Redfern, give up, when the odds were with her?

She closed her eyes, "I don't know!" she snarled.

"I didn't yield," I said, "so it's not over."

"Fine, blast me."

Reverse psychology?

"I'm going to," I threatened.

"So do it."

"What, you like it so much?"

She turned round swiftly and glared at me, lifting the stick.

"Yeah, I love it, Morgead! I'm crazy about pain! So do it, and then I'm going to hit you over your thick head so hard you won't wake up until next week!"

Definitely reverse psychology.

I gazed at her, still trying to figure out what she was doing, why she hadn't broken my wrist, or killed me, or whatever.

"You're just crazy period," I said. I leaned back against the wall, still watching her. "So why didn't you do it?"

Jez shrugged, her eyes still fierce. "I suppose because then I'd have to break every bone in your body, you jerk. You'd never give up, not with that new Power you've got."

"I could teach it to you. The others aren't strong enough to learn it, but you are."

I did owe her for not killing me, or breaking my wrist.

Jez laughed suddenly, bitterly, "Yeah, right," she said. She closed her eyes, then shook her head, laughed again.

"You laugh weird, Jez," I said.

"I have a twisted sense of humour," she said bleakly.

She looked at me, blinking hard, her eyes shining. Was that a tear I saw on her cheek?

"So, want to start this fight again?"

I stared at her hand clenching her snakewood weapon. Her hands and arms were trembling slightly. I looked back at her eyes. She tried to make her gaze challenging, but I could see the fatigue in her eyes.

"No," I said, "We don't have to do it again. I yield."

She blinked in surprise, then glared.

"Why? Because I'm tired? Because you don't think I take you?" she yelled, lifting her stick menacingly.

"Because you're crazy!" I yelled, panicking, "And because..." I broke off. I'd been about to say _because I love you_. I calmed myself down and said instead, "Because you won fair the first time," I finished quickly.

Jez stared at me, eyes narrowed, then slowly lowered the stick, but still held it.

Suddenly, she grinned.

"You just don't want me to whop you anymore," she said, obviously proud of herself.

I glared at her as ferociously as possible. All that did was it made her grin wider.

"So it's over," she said, a trace of smugness in her voice, "I'm back in."

"You're leader," I muttered. "Enjoy it, because I'm going to be right behind you every, just waiting for my chance."

"I wouldn't expect anything else," Jez said, smiling wryly.

I unbuttoned the top of my shirt, pulling it away from my neck, still watching her.

She blinked. "What are you doing?" she said.

I looked away, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. "What do you think?" I leaned my head back.

She was still confused.

"I have no idea," she said.

I sighed inwardly. "Blood in, blood out."

There was a pause. I could feel Jez trembling next to me. I looked at her. She was staring at my throat, her expression one of longing, revulsion and pain.

"Now what's wrong with you?" I said.

"I..." she was still staring at my throat. She finally looked at me in the eye, and unbuttoned her collar. "Here. You bite me."

"_What?_"

"It satisfies the requirement. Blood has to be spilled. And it's the leader who does it."

Had I hit her head too hard?

"You're the leader, idiot," maybe I'd given her amnesia.

She looked back at me belligerently.

"Not until I'm back in the gang. And I'm not back in the gang until blood is spilled."

I watched her, trying to read her eyes. They had always been so clear; you could see in them for miles, and everything she thought was literally displayed. But now, she had a wall slammed down. She wasn't giving anything away.

"Jez... that's ridiculous. Why?"

"Because I think it's the proper procedure. And because... I overfed last night. I don't want anymore." Did I imagine that slip?

She was looking steadily into my eyes, not moving at all. Completely still.

Almost _too_ still.

I looked away.

"If you won't tell me, I give up." I shrugged. "So fine. If that's the way you want it..."

"It is."

"Whatever," I said, rolling my eyes. I turned back to her and grabbed hold of her shoulders, pulling her gently closer. She closed her eyes.

I leaned closer to her, nearer to her throat, gently tilting her head back. I let my canines lengthen as I went into my hunting mode.

I licked her throat, and she shuddered as I bit into her neck.

I held her gently. No vampire liked being prey. This... gift... she was giving to me willingly was so brave.

At first, she was tense, but then she relaxed. I felt as if something was being pulled towards me, and Jez was in my mind.

**Hmm... They certainly glare at each other a lot... Not to mention I feel it's cheesy... All those "the Power," makes me think of Star Wars. What did you think?**


	6. Chapter 6

**I don't own Night World.**

**Chapter 6**

_No. This can't be happening._

I heard Jez's telepathic voice coming through the mist that now surrounded us.

Our minds were connected. I'd never had telepathy this strong, even when Jez and I had shared blood before.

I vaguely noticed Jez exclaiming that I was crazy to enjoy this.

_I enjoy you_ I whispered to her telepathically.

_It's been so long..._ she murmured to herself. _So long... I haven't been able to do this-_

Suddenly, she broke off, throwing clouds across her mind, hiding from me. The swiftness in which she backed away startled me.

_Jez, don't. Don't hide from me-_

_You're not allowed in here, _she snarled back. _Go away!_

_I can't,_ I said back. I felt shock in Jez's mind. Apparently she thought I couldn't be confused, scared._ I'm not doing this. It's just... happening._

Jez was scared. I could tell that she was, but not what of. She was trying to reject the bond that was being forged between us. How could she want that?

_Don't be afraid. Don't._ I said. I let her hear in those simple words what I'd always wanted to tell her, but never could. I wanted her to know that I'd loved her since the first time I saw her, when she descended from a tree like an angel descending from heaven. I wrapped my thoughts of loving her around her thoughts, trying to shield her from the fear that was consuming her, and devouring the peace we could be experiencing.

She recoiled mentally, thinking just one word.

_No..._

I ignored that. I could feel some wonder in her. Some happiness within the deeper recesses of her mind.

_Yes..._ I thought.

She did love me. She might not realise it, but she loved me anyway.

Jez was trying futilely to break the bond. I couldn't understand why. All I wanted was never to move again, revelling in the knowledge that we were meant for each other. I knew what the bond was, but I could tell Jez hadn't an idea.

_This shouldn't be happening, _Jez said. She had thrown all the panic and fear she was feeling behind those four words.

_I know, _I murmured back, trying to soothe her. _But that's because you're fighting it. We should be somewhere else by now._

_Where else?_ She asked in an exasperated tone. I could feel the desperation in her thoughts.

_I don't know. _Why didn't she just give in and be happy? _Some place... deeper. Where we'd really be together. But you won't open your mind..._

_Morgead, what are you talking about? What do you think is going on? _There was genuine confusion underlying her every thought.

_Don't you know? It's the soulmate principle._

Jez was silent. She was completely shocked, trying to reason with what she already knew, trying helplessly to find another explanation. But the reasoning was weak. She knew it was right, but was trying to deny that we were soulmates.

Soulmates.

A happiness overwhelmed me, so strong and sweet that I almost gasped aloud. She wouldn't be able to deny me forever. We were meant to be together, so one day, we would be.

I was dimly aware that the bond between Jez and I was forcing pieces of my life to her. I knew it was trying to force her life onto me. She threw up a smokescreen, but I could dimly see through it.

The first time we'd killed big game together. The times we'd shared blood, exploring the outer fringes of our minds. Jez's wonder and exhilaration running through a wood with me by her side, and something... something about her mother.

I couldn't see anything else. I was aware that Jez was receiving pieces of my life. She could feel what I had felt. My mother, never showing me any affection. Her running off the first chance she'd gotten... And Jez there to help me. My mother never coming back, the fear and abandonment that I'd felt... And Jez there to help me. Every memory that meant something to me, that I cherished, had Jez there.

_I never knew..._ Jez thought.

What I'd gone through hurt her. My pain was pain to her. Despite having to relieve painful memories, I was happy and hopeful.

I payed more attention to Jez. She was watching the memories numbly, trying to make sense about why it made her so happy to know that I cared for her.

_Morgead..._ she whispered, such tenderness in her beautiful, crystal voice. That voice. The one that was so familiar to me. The one that meant peace and security and happiness.

I was embarrassed. The fact that I loved her was the one secret that I had ever kept from her. I felt invaded. Exposed.

_I'm sorry,_ she murmured in the beautiful voice. _I didn't mean to look. I'll go away... _She was chagrined, but still had that shine of happiness in her thoughts.

I couldn't bear taking that away from her.

_No, _I said before she could go away. _No, I don't want you to go. I want you to stay._

I wanted her to know me, to understand the way I thought.

I felt her wordless happiness, and we let ourselves drift. I was still dizzy from knowing that she loved me.

Suddenly, Jez flinched mentally. I could feel her happiness going out like a snuffed flame. She pulled away as much as she could, trying again to break the bond.

_Jez? _I asked, trying to cover up the hurt I felt. _What's wrong? Why won't you let it happen?_

She was panicking. She threw up a wall over her thoughts, nothing like the flimsy smokescreen she'd put up before.

_Jez?_ I asked, worried.

I could feel her hardening towards me, her previous happiness forgotten, not even a ghost on her mind. She was as panicked and scared as a trapped animal.

Suddenly, she threw a picture at me.

Jez walking out, leaving the gang. I couldn't help but replay the day after the last time I saw her. The worry, the pain. The abandonment, the betrayal and finally the reappearance.

Everything but when I broke down. I couldn't let her see that had made me so vulnerable.

A terrible fury, one worse than when she had merely left, swelled through me, surprising Jez and even me. The fury was one of lost love. I had trusted Jez as soon as she pretended to fall in love with me, and the falsity had not prepared me for the truth.

She didn't care. She never did.

Well, I didn't love her, then.

I was Morgead Blackthorn. I didn't need or love anyone.

_You left me!_ I snarled at her.

_I had to. And I'll never tell you why._

I was dimly aware of the pain it caused her to say that. But not enough. The fury was tinting everything red.

_You're a traitor,_ I growled at her.

But... as much as I hated her for making me feel this, to love her, I still loved her more than anything, underneath all the fury and pain and hatred I was feeling. What I hated was the fact that I wasn't good enough for her.

I never could be.

_I don't care what you think, _she said harshly.

_You never cared. I can see that now, _I snarled back just a harshly. _I know that now. I don't know why I ever thought any different._

The soulmate bond between us was growing weaker, into almost non- existence.

We pulled apart even more.

_You'd better not forget it again,_ she said, a hint of pain touching her perfect voice._ It might be bad for your health._

_Don't worry, _I said, working as hard as I could to keep the heart-ripping pain from her. But my control was slipping. I had to get her out. _I can take care of myself. And you better believe I'd never forget._

_I do what I want to, for my own reasons, _she retorted. _And nobody questions me. I'm leader, remember?_

I felt a flash of the worst pain imaginable as the bond between us snapped. I pulled away from her faster, harder.

Then I was in my body. I had Jez in my arms; I wasn't sure when I'd stopped drinking her blood. Her head was arched back, her throat exposed. I held her for a second longer, savouring the feel of her body against mine, then let go. Harshly. She landed heavily on the floor. She blinked, looking around as if she were disorientated. I stood up.

"What's wrong with you? Get up and get out," I snarled at her, injected something like hate in my voice. But not hate directed at her.

She looked at me, her eyes strangely unfocused.

"You took too much blood, you jerk," her voice was so filled with loathing that I almost took a step back. She continued. "It was supposed to just be a ritual thing, but you lost control. I should've known you would."

So that was what she thought of me. A monster who looses control.

"Tough," I said, harshly, to cover up my pain. "You shouldn't have given me the chance."

"I won't make the same mistake again!" she sat up, looking quite unsteady. Had I really taken that much blood? She was a vampire; she should be recovered by now.

"I probably should tell you why I'm here," she got to her feet. Steadily, I noticed with relief. "I forgot to mention it before."

"Why you came back? I don't even want to know." I paced the floor. I could feel my control slipping; in a few minutes, I could be a complete wreck. I looked deliberately away from her, fighting the stinging in my eyes, the lump in my throat.

"You will when I tell you," she said softly. I kept my back to her. If I was going to cry, I would do it silently.

"Why do you always think you know what I want?" I snapped, hoping that she couldn't discern any breaks in my voice.

"OK, be like that. You probably wouldn't appreciate the chance anyway.

I turned quickly to look at her. I looked straight into her beautiful eyes, those eyes that shone like the stars.

Thos eyes that had bewitched me from the first moment I'd seen them, that I had seen every time I closed my eyes for the past year. Those eyes, that had caused me such pain.

"What chance?" I said quietly.

"I didn't come back just to take over the gang. I want to do things with it. I want to make us more powerful."

If she expected any reaction of awe, she wasn't getting it. I kept on staring at her.

Suddenly it hit me.

She most certainly had not come back for me.

No, it was something else.

I threw back my head and laughed.

**Yay! Another cliff-hanger... What does he think? (Don't ruin my fun!)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi, sorry it's been so long; I've only really been able to write at school, and that's mostly been my other Jez and Morgead story (Jez and Morgead: Memories), because teachers aren't fooled when you've got a book and a notebook open on your table, and you're writing avidly. You can only fool them by writing avidly on a piece of paper.**

**I don't own Night World.**

**Chapter 7**

Jez watched me silently for a minute. Her voice cut through my hysterics.

"Want to share the joke?"

"It's just... of course. I should have known. Maybe I did know, underneath."

I laughed to cover my pain. I didn't want her to see how much her reaction hurt me.

She kept staring at me with wide eyes.

"There's only one thing that could have brought you back. And I should have realised that from the instant you turned up. It wasn't concern for anybody here; it's got nothing to do with the gang."

I smiled at her as her gaze turned murderous.

"I know what it is, Jez Redfern. I know exactly why you're here today."

She just watched me, growing fear and fury evident on her perfect face.

"And why is that?" her voice contradicted her face; it was calm.

"Jez Redfern. That's the key, isn't it? Your family."

Her hands clenched into fists.

"Your family sent you. Hunter Redfern. He knows that I've really found the Wild Power, and expects you to get it out of me."

I knew it was that. She didn't let up her tense posture.

"You idiot! Of course not. I don't run errands for Council!"

I smiled slightly. I wouldn't give up that easily. "I didn't say Council. I said Hunter Redfern. He's trying to steal a march on the Council, isn't he? He wants the Wild Power himself. To restore the Redferns to the glory of old. You're running errands for him."

She pursed her lips for a second.

"All right, what if is true?" she said. The wall was slammed behind her eyes again. "What if I do come from Hunter?"

"Then you can tell him to get bent. I told the Council my terms. I'm not settling for anything less."

"And what were your terms?"

"As if you don't know."

I hated that she had known what I was doing, where I was, when I had thought she'd died.

She kept on staring at me. I shrugged, crossed my arms and answered, "A seat on the Council."

Jez burst out laughing. Suddenly, she looked carefree, and, of course, beautiful.

"You," she gasped, "are out of your mind."

"I know they won't give it to me," I smiled harshly. "I expect them to offer something like control of San Francisco. And some position after the millennium."

She watched me thoughtfully, her head cocked to one side.

"You want to be a prince in the new world order," she said slowly. Something flashed in her eyes, but it was gone too quickly for me to read it.

"I want what's coming to me. All my life I've had to stand around and watch humans get everything. After the millennium things will be different."

Jez was paler than usual. She seemed... shocked.

"And what makes you think the Council is going to be here after the millennium?" she shook her head, "You're better off going with Hunter. I'd bet on him against the Council any day."

I looked at her for a second and blinked.

"He's planning on getting rid of Council?"

She kept looking at me. "What would you do his place?"

Well, damn Hunter Redfern. Council was going down.

But did I want to work with Hunter? He was known to be harsh and cruel, and terrible to work with.

I moved subconsciously to the window. Hunter might be able to give me more than the Council. If I could bribe him enough... He must really want that Wild Power.

Not to mention, if I worked with him, even if Jez left, I could have leads to her.

I span round to look at Jez.

"All right," I said, "I'll join Hunter's team – but only on my terms. After the millennium-"

"After the millennium you'll get what you deserve," she interrupted me.

She stood there, glaring beautifully, clenching her hands into fists, "You'll get a position. Hunter wants people loyal to him in the new order. And if you can prove you're valuable, he'll want you. But you have to prove it. OK? Deal?"

"If I can trust you."

Because that was the real problem. Before, I'd have trusted her with my life. I always knew that I was her closest friend. But I had no idea anymore.

I'd lost my faith in her.

"We can trust each other because we have to. We both want the same thing. If we do what Hunter wants, we both win," Jez said.

"So we co-operate – for the time being."

"We co-operate – and we see what happens."

We watched each other. We were back to how we'd been before she left, competing, jockeying for dominance. I'd always enjoyed that relationship.

But now... it wasn't enough. I wanted more.

"Business," she said matter-of-factly. "Where's the Wild Power, Morgead?"

"I'll show you," I said, then walked over to the futon to sit down.

I looked back at Jez. She was watching me, shock evident in her blue eyes.

"You'll show me what?"

"Show you the Wild Power."

Obviously.

I fast-forwarded through the movie as Jez came to sit beside me. Well, not really beside me. She was sitting as far away from me as she could.

"You've got the Wild Power _recorded?_" she said incredulously.

I threw a glance at her. Since when had she been such an idiot? She was usually the smartest.

"Yeah, on _America's Funniest Home Movies,_" I said sarcastically. "Just shut up, Jez, and watch."

She narrowed her eyes at me, then turned to the TV screen.

"_Breaking news in San Francisco this hour. We have live pictures from the Marina District where a five-alarm fire is raging through a government housing project. We go now to Linda Chin, who's on the scene."_

The scene switch to a dark-haired reporter.

"_Regina, I'm here at Taylor Street, where fire fighters are trying to prevent this spectacular blaze from spreading-"_

Jez turned to look at me. "What's this got to do with the Wild Power? I saw it live. It happened a couple of weeks ago. I was watching that stupid movie."

She broke off suddenly. I turned to look at her. She was staring with wide eyes at me, her jaw clenched, her hands balled into fists.

She'd been here a couple of weeks ago? Well, that was interesting.

"Keep watching. You'll see what it's got to do with the Wild Power."

I let the rest of it wash over me, just watching for when the girl came on.

"Look here," I said. I pointed at the screen.

I turned to look at Jez. She leaned forwards, watching the screen.

"There," I said.

Jez's eyes were wide, but distant as she watched the screen.

I waited until the fire was put out by the blue flash, and paused the TV.

"They never did figure out what stopped the fire. It went out everywhere, all at once, as if it had been smothered."

She looked at me, frowning slightly. "And you think it was some sort of Power that killed it. I don't know, Morgead – it's a pretty big assumption. And to jump from that to the idea that it was a Wild Power-"

"You missed it, then," I interrupted her.

"Missed what?" she groaned. She went back to glaring at me.

I rewinded back to just before the fire ended.

"I almost missed it myself when I saw it live. It was lucky I was recording it. When I went back and looked again, I could see it clearly."

I played it in slow-motion and watched for Jez's reaction. She gasped and jerked back.

"Goddess," she mumbled, her eyes wide. "Blue fire."

I rewinded again to let her see it.

" 'In blue fire, the final darkness is banished; In blood, the final price is payed.' If that girl isn't a Wild Power, Jez... then what is she? You tell me."

"I don't know," she murmured. She bit her lip. "You're beginning to convince me. But-"

I interrupted her. "Look, everyone knows that one of the Wild Powers is in San Francisco. One of the old hags in the witch circle – Grandma Harman or something – had a dream about it. She saw the blue fire in front of Coit Tower or something. And everybody knows the Wild Powers are supposed to be manifesting about now. I think that girl did it for the first time when she realised she was going to die. When she got that desperate."

Jez kept staring at the screen, biting her lip. She turned her face towards me and said, still looking at the screen, "If this kid is the Wild Power, why didn't her Circle notice what happened? Why didn't she tell them, 'Hey, guys, look; I can put out fires now'?"

Had she gotten stupider the past year?

"What do you mean, her Circle?" I said.

She looked at me, her eyes narrowed with as much annoyance as I felt.

"Well she's a witch, right? You're not telling me vampires or shapeshifters are developing new powers like that."

"Who said anything about witched or vampires or shapeshifters? That kid's _human."_

Jez blinked and stiffened.

She really didn't know? Hadn't Hunter told her?

He should have. Jez deserved to be respected, not used like a slave.

But... why would she have just left to work for Hunter? It just didn't add up. And Hunter would have told her, I was sure.

"The Wild Powers... can be human?"

I smiled before I could stop myself.

"You really didn't know. You haven't heard all the prophecies, have you?" she glared as I struck a mocking oratorical pose. "There's supposed to be:

" '_One from the land of Kings long forgotten,_

_One from the hearth which still holds the spark,_

_One from the Day World, where two eyes are watching,_

_One from the twilight to be one with the dark.' "_

She watched me with a thoughtful expression.

"No wonder you're so eager to turn her in. Not just to get a reward – "

"But because the little scum deserves to die, or whatever it is Hunter's got in mind for her," I paused as Jez widened her eyes. "Yeah, vermin have no right developing Night World powers. Right?"

I looked at her, expecting her to grin and agree. But she surprised me.

She was looking down, tense and seemingly unhappy.

"Of course right," she said flatly.

Something clicked. What was wrong with her? The doubts that had dominated my thoughts before had almost been completely squashed, but now they reared back.

She hadn't wanted to drink my blood. She blocked me out of her thoughts. She almost fainted when I took too much blood. She'd said 'Goddess'. No vampire said that. And now... there was something almost like... pity... in her eyes.

"Jez," I said softly. Her chin jerked up and she looked straight at me, fear evident in her gorgeous eyes. "Why didn't Hunter tell that prophecy? The Council dug it up last week."

She looked steadily at me. "I have no idea," she said unemotionally. "Maybe because I was already out here in California when they figured it out. But why don't you call and ask him yourself? I'm sure he'd love to hear from you."

Why wouldn't she tell me the truth?

I glared at her then turned away. I could see Jez smirking smugly out the corner of my eye.

"So what do the 'two eyes watching' mean in the poem?"she said.

I rolled my eyes. "How should I know? You figure it out. You've always been the smart one."

She looked at me in shock. Her expression softened.

"Well, you seem to be doing all right by yourself," she said gently.

I could feel my own expression softening. I never could help it when she complimented me.

She was the centre of my universe.

"Nah, I'm just blundering along," I said.

I looked away, but her gaze was one I knew, and I could tell she wasn't looking away.

I looked back at her.

Her eyes were strange, torn as if an internal battle were raging in her thoughts.

Neither of us looked away.

I heard Jez's breath quicken.

"Jez, look-" I murmured.

I leaned forwards, putting my hand gently on her forearm. She didn't flinch or back away, just watched me, some powerful emotion holding her in place, keeping her gentle.

"Jez... about before... I didn't..."

She was blushing slightly. Her face was slightly impassive, but her eyes were soft.

"Jez..." I murmured again.

I slid my hand from her arm to her cheek and almost fell towards her. The bond that I'd thought had disappeared completely was back, stronger than ever.

I leaned forwards to press my lips to hers.


	8. Chapter 8

**A *cough cough* **_**interesting **_**conversation between me and my friend:**

**Friend: Which do you think is the sweetest story?**

**Me: Mash and Airy-Lynette's, probably.**

**(I didn't realise what I'd just said)**

**Friend (After a pause): Sorry, what?**

**Me: Ash and Mary-Lynnette!**

**Friend: You said 'Mash and Airy-Lynnette'!**

**Me: Oops.**

**Friend (After a pause): Why don't we talk about Daggie and Melos?**

**I don't own Night World.**

**Chapter 8**

The door banged open.

Jez and I jerked away from each other, and Jez span round to look at the door as _her _gang came spilling through into the room.

"Hey, Morgead-"

"Hey, you still asleep-?"

They all crowded into the room and froze when they saw Jez.

Jez stood up, lightly tensed, ready to attack at a seconds notice.

_Did you have to come in just then?_ I said telepathically to Raven.

Raven flicked a glance at me, then looked back at Jez.

"It's really you, Jez," Raven said.

I stood up.

"Yeah, she came back," I said. Pierce was throwing murderous glances at her. "She joined the gang again."

Jez glanced at me in shock. I looked back at her, with what I hoped was an unreadable expression. As soon as Pierce was glaring at her like that, I felt an over-whelming urge to protect her.

Stupid. Jez didn't need protecting.

"...she came back?" Val said blankly.

"That's right," Jez said. She was still tense. "I had to go away for a while, I can't tell you where, but now I'm back. I just fought my way back in – and I beat Morgead for the leadership."

I looked up at the ceiling in exasperation. Typical Jez.

The entire gang cheered and lunged for Jez, all trying to hug her, shouting greetings and congratulations.

Jez looked shocked. "It's good to see you guys again," she said unsteadily. She was blinking hard.

"You scared us when you disappeared, you know," Raven said. She was smiling.

Jez smiled back. "Sorry, girl."

"_I _wasn't scared," Thistle said, still attached to Jez's waist.

Jez smiled down at the small girl. "You're never scared," she said. She squeezed Thistle.

"She means she knew you were all right, wherever you were. I did, too," Pierce said.

"I'm glad somebody thought so," Jez said. She glanced at me.

"Yeah, well, some people were going crazy. _They _thought you were dead," Val said. He looked at me and grinned deviously. "Morgead had us scouring the streets for you from Daly City to the Golden Gate Bridge-"

"Because I was hoping a few of you would fall off," I interrupted. "But I had no such luck. Now shut up, Val. We don't have time for this class-reunion stuff. We've got something important to do."

Thistle stepped away from Jez. Her face was lit up. "You mean a hunt?"

"He means the Wild Power," Raven said. She looked at Jez. "He's told you already, hasn't he?"

"I didn't need to tell her," I said. I braced myself for the reaction I knew would come. "She already knew. She came back because Hunter Redfern wants to make a deal with us. The Wild Power for a place with him after the millennium."

They all reacted, as I'd expected. Thistle squeaked, Raven laughed and Pierce smiled.

"He knows we've got the real thing! He doesn't want to mess with us!" Val shouted excitedly.

"That's right, Val; I'm sure he's quaking in his boots," I said.

I glanced at Jez and rolled my eyes. She grinned back.

Thistle bounded up to me. "So, if you've got the terms settled, does that mean we get to do it now? We get to pick the little girl up?"

"Today? Yeah, I guess we could," I looked at Jez. "We know her name and everything. It's Iona Skelton and she's living just a couple buildings down from where the fire was. Thistle made friends with her earlier this week."

Jez nodded, and started stroking Thistle's hair. "Don't get excited. Hunter wants the Wild Power alive and unharmed. He's got plans for her."

"Plus, before we take her, we've got to test her," I said.

"What do you mean, test her?"

I looked at Jez. She was certainly slower. What had Hunter done with her?

"I'd think that would be obvious. We can't take the chance of sending Hunter a dud. We have to make sure she _is _the Wild Power."

Jez turned to me and raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were sure," she said in a dangerously soft voice.

"I'm sure, but I still want to test her!" I snapped at her. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"Only if it's dangerous. For us, I mean. After all, she's got some Power beyond imagining, right?"

"And she's in elementary school. I hardly think she's going to be able to take on six vampires."

"It's just as if she never left," Raven said.

I glared at her as Thistle and Val laughed.

"They always sound so – married," Pierce said.

Jez was glaring at them too. "I wouldn't marry him if every other guy on earth was dead," she growled at Pierce.

I joined in. "If it was a choice between her and a human, I'd pick the human."

They all laughed, and Jez shot me a knowing glance. _She _knew very well that I would pick her over everyone.

I had to clench my hands together to stop myself from throwing her out the window.

~ * ~ * ~

We were riding down to Iona's aunt's house. Jez had let me take the lead; she hated this part of town.

We pulled into the narrow alley that we used as a shortcut and turned off our motors.

"That's where she lives now; across the street. She and her mum are staying with her aunt. Nobody plays in the playground; it's too dangerous. But Thistle might be able to get her down the stairs."

"Of course I can," Thistle said. She grinned, the excited edge to her personality taking over.

"Then we can grab her and be gone before her mum even notices," I said. "We can take her back to my place and do the test where it's private."

Strangely, after being so excited about finding the first Wild Power, I felt strangely hollow. It didn't feel as exciting as I thought it would.

"_I'll _grab her," Jez said forcefully. "Thistle, you try to get her right out to the sidewalk. Everybody else, stay behind me – if she sees a bunch of motorcycles, she'll probably freak. But be ready to gun it when I pull out and grab her. The noise should help cover up any screams. Raven, you pick up Thistle as soon as I get the kid, and we all go straight back to Morgead's."

Everyone nodded in agreement. No-one could see a problem with the plan. But why cut corners?

"I think we should knock her out when we grab her. That way, there won't _be _any screams. Not to mention any blue fire when she realises she's being kidnapped-"

Jez's eyes flashed an angry silver as she looked at me. "I already said how we're going to do it. I don't want her to be knocked out, and I don't think she'll be able to hurt us. Now, everybody, get ready. Off you go, Thistle."

Thistle skipped off, the picture of innocence. I turned angrily to Jez. She really needed to learn how to take advice.

"You never could take advice, Jez."

"And you never could take orders," she said.

She turned away from me and glared at the building that Thistle had disappeared into.

She stayed silent for a minute as I glared at the clouds, trying to keep my anger in control.

"Imagine growing up in a place like this," Jez said, her voice filled with disgust and pity."

Pierce laughed. "You sound as if you feel sorry for her."

I tried to agree with the contempt in his tone, but I couldn't. It was strange, as if the world had shifted around me.

I felt sorry for the girl, too. Sorry for what she had endured, sorry for what she would have to endure at Hunter's hands.

"It's because it's a kid," I found myself saying. "It's hard on any kid growing up in a place like this."

I felt Jez's gaze on me, but I ignored her. I felt cold at the horror that this child would have to endure. But I managed to right myself. I realised what the girl was.

A human.

Humans didn't have emotions. I shrugged as I felt the pity – well, most of it – leave me.

"Morgead?" Jez said. I looked at her. "Do you know the prophecy with the line about the blind Maiden's vision?"

"What, this one?

'_Four to stand between the light and the shadow._

_Four of Blue Fire, Power in their Blood._

_Born in the year of the blind Maiden's vision._

_Four less One and Darkness triumphs.'_

"Yeah. What do you think 'born in the year of the blind Maiden's vision' _means?_"

It was like speaking to a four-year-old! Did Hunter brain- wash her?

"Well, the Maiden has to be Aradia, right?"

"Who's that?" Val cut in.

Did Hunter brain-wash them_ all? _

"The Maiden of the Witches. You know, the blind girl? The Maiden part of the Maiden, Mother and Crone group that rules all the witches? She's only one the most important people in the Night World-"

"Oh yeah. I remember," Val said. He smiled in satisfaction.

"I agree," Jez said. "The blind Maiden has to be Aradia. But what does 'year of her vision' mean? How old is this kid we're snatching?"

"About eight, I think."

"Did Aradia have some special vision eight years ago?"

I frowned. I wasn't a witch, and she was the one who had supposedly come from Hunter. _She_ should knowthese things.

"How should I know? She's been having visions since she went blind, right? Which means, like, seventeen years worth of 'em. Who's supposed to tell which one the poem means?"

"Jez bristled. "What you mean is that you haven't even tried to figure it out."

I glared at her. "You're so smart; you do it."

Jez didn't answer.

I turned to look at the building. Thistle and Iona were walking out, hand-in-hand.

Jez started her motor and shot out of the alley, heading straight for the kid.

Iona tried to run when she saw Jez pelting out at her, and tried to pull Thistle with her. She was that trusting.

Thistle held onto the railings and Iona in a vice-like grip, not letting her go until Jez grabbed Iona around the waist and put her down in front of her on the seat.

The ride was short. We were going as fast as we could. I wanted to get the testing over and done with, and I could sense that Jez wanted the same.

We pulled up in front of the apartment complex. I could see Jez whispering something to Iona, but couldn't make out the words.

"Yeehaw! We got 'er!" Val yelled. He pulled his helmet off, revealing his grinning, excited face.

"Yeah, and we'd better take her upstairs before somebody sees us," Raven's calm voice injected.

I looked across the street.

"So now we're going to test her, right? It's time to test her, isn't it, Morgead?" Thistle's voice was shrill.

I looked at her. She was throwing worried glances at Iona.

"Yeah, it's time to test her," I said tiredly. Jez looked at me in shock and under-lying concern. "Let's get it over with."


	9. Chapter 9

**I need your opinion on something... Do you prefer the name Adenah or Kaydence for a girl with blue eyes and black hair?**

**I don't own Night World.**

**Chapter 9**

We walked to the roof, where we were planning to carry out the test. Jez stayed near Iona, one hand on the younger girl's hunched shoulder.

"See – there's the garden," Jez murmured to the girl.

Iona looked in obvious interest, then glanced back at Jez.

"They're not getting enough water," Iona said quietly, in the same manner that she said everything.

I came up behind Jez. "Yeah, well, it didn't rain enough this summer," I said, Iona looked at me. "You want to fix that?"

She frowned at me.

"Look, what I mean is, you've got the Power, right? So if you want to show us anything now, be my guest. It'll make things a lot simpler. Make it rain, why don't you?"

I knelt down in front of her. I didn't want her to be hurt unnecessarily, so I had to give her the choice.

"I'm just saying there's no reason for you to get hurt here. We just want to see you do something like what you did the night of the fire. Anything. Just show us."

Iona stared at me for a second, then shook her head. "I guess you're crazy," she murmured.

"Do you remember the fire?" Jez asked. Iona turned to look at her.

" 'Course," Iona said. "I was scared."

"But you didn't get hurt. The fire got close to you and then you did something. And the fire went away."

"I was scared, and then the fire went away, but I didn't do anything."

She stubborn. I'd really had enough of stubborn people for several years.

"OK," I said. I stood up. "Maybe if you can't tell us, you can show us."

I picked Iona up and walked over to the triangle of debris. She didn't struggle as I put her down, or try to follow me back out. She just stood there, watching the leaves.

Pierce lit the leaves. The fire spread quickly, dancing crazily. The flames were yellow and blue, and very hot.

Iona didn't do anything, just watched the flames sprinting to cover the leaves.

"You know, I'm concerned," Pierce said quietly, "I have a concern here."

I saw Jez look at him with something like... hope... in her eyes. I turned to Pierce.

"I'm worried about this fire. I know nobody can look down on us, but it's making a lot of smoke. What if one of the other tenants comes up to investing?"

I looked at the fire. He was right. Smoke was billowing everywhere Iona was coughing. I opened my mouth to come it off, but then remembered that Jez was leader. She didn't seem too concerned.

"Shut up, Pierce. The other tenants are the least of our worries. I'm more worried about what that kid will do to us if she finds her Power," I said to Pierce.

"Come on, Iona! Put out the fire. You can do it! Just do what you did before!" I heard Jez shout.

I moved closer to Jez, so that I was right next to her.

"Yeah, come on!" I shouted to Iona. "Let's get this over with, kid."

Raven leaned forward, to the left of me. "Do you remember what you did that night? Think!"

"I didn't do anything!" Iona shouted to Raven. Her voice was slightly hysterical.

I looked at the fire before, but big enough that it was causing Iona to sweat. She was only a few feet away from it.

_Come on, Iona! _I thought to myself.

I hadn't got it wrong. It was a Wild Power that had stopped the bigger fire, but was it possible that it was someone else? Someone other than Iona?

My mind tried for possibilities, but I came up blank . It couldn't have anyone but Iona at the scene... Unless a friend of hers or somebody was there on the ground...

"It's time to stop," Jez's voice reached to me, distracting me.

My head snapped round automatically.

"No. We've gotten this far; it would be stupid to start all over again. Would that be any nicer to her?" I said.

She glared at me. "I said, it's time to _stop_. What do you have to put out the fire? Or, did you even think of that?"

"She's going to put it out any minute now. She just has to be frightened enough-"

"Morgead, she's absolutely terrified already! Look at her!"

I turned, realising that Thistle was right next to the flames, closer than even Iona was. And Iona was scared, I could see that. She was trembling and she was hyperventilating, watching the flames as if they were monsters set out to devour her. Which they were.

"If she's not doing it now, she's never going to," Jez said. Her eyes flashed with anger when she looked at me. "It was a stupid idea in the first place, and now it's over!"

And had _she _come up with the idea? If I'd Iona to her immediately, and she wasn't the Wild Power, that might have gotten me killed! She must care about me enough to not want for me to be killed.

I glanced back at Iona. Nothing had changed, except that there was more smoke. Maybe Iona _wasn't _the Wild Power.

"You're gonna die!" Thistle suddenly shrieked. She hadn't moved from being right next to the fire. "You're gonna burn up right now!"

Thistle kicked at the base of the flames, sending burning leaves straight at Iona. Raven yelled as Thistle kicked again.

I leapt forwards and grabbed Thistle by her collar, and dragged her back, as she was still struggling and kicking, shouting, 'You're gonna die!'

I was focussing so much on holding Thistle back, that I didn't notice Iona lunging for the edge of the building, but I noticed when Jez gasped and shot off after her, scrambled over and launch herself off the building after Iona

_Jez!_ I screamed telepathically at her. I threw Thistle to the side and sprinted for the edge of the roof after her.

Jez was already lying on the floor, clutching Iona to her chest, as I landed.

The impact forced me to fall forwards, but I hardly felt the pain. All I could think was _JezJezJez. _If I had lost, permanently, so soon after finding her...

"Are you all right?" I yelled, aloud and telepathically. "Jez!"

She had a burn on her cheek, probably caused by Thistle, but apart from that, didn't seem too bad. No cuts, and her legs and arms were bent the correct way...

She blinked up at me. "Of course I'm all right," she muttered. She pulled Iona's sleeve, "Iona!" she said. "Are you all right?"

Iona blinked and shook her head, not denying, but to clear her head. She sat up slightly.

"That was really scary," she whispered, her eyes wide. She gulped.

"I know," Jez whispered back. "I'm sorry, Iona. I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry. We shouldn't have done that. It was a very bad thing to do, and I'm really sorry, and we're going to take you home now. Nobody's going to hurt you. We're going to take you back to your mum."

Iona just watched Jez, her chin quivering slightly.

Jez looked at me. "Can you erase her memory? I see no reason why she should remember all this."

I glanced at Iona, who was still clutching onto Jez's shirt, and watching me with fearful eyes.

"Yeah, I can wipe her."

"because she's not the Wild Power, you know," Jez said.

I shut my eyes and pushed my hair away from my forehead. Was she intent on torturing me?

"She's an extraordinary kid, and I don't know what exactly she's going to be – maybe President or some great doctor or botanist or something. Something special, because she's got that inner light – something that keeps her from getting mad or mean or hysterical. But that's got nothing with being a Wild Power."

"All right! I know already!" I yelled at her. She was finally quiet.

I took a deep breath to try to calm myself down. "She's not it. I was wrong. I made a bad mistake. OK?"

The crazy look in Jez's eyes vanished. "OK. So can you please wipe her?"

"Yes! I'm doing it!" I put my hands on Iona's shoulders. "Look, kid, I'm – sorry. I never thought you'd – you know, jump like that."

Iona just stared at me. It was obvious that she wasn't forgiving me.

I took a deep breath. "This has been a pretty rotten day, hasn't it? So why don't you just forget about it?" I reached out gently with my mind. "And before you know it, you'll be home."

Iona felt my mind against hers and looked towards Jez uncertainly. She probably trusted Jez more. Obviously.

"It's OK," Jez murmured comfortingly. "It won't hurt."

"You don't have to remember this," I whispered gently. "So why don't you just go to sleep? You can have a little nap... And when you wake up, you'll be home."

I kept on brushing my mind against hers, and after a bit her eyelids drooped. She smiled at Jez, then went to sleep.

Jez held Iona for a second more, then sat up and placed Iona carefully on the ground. There was something almost... mothering in her expression. A tenderness in the way she stroked Iona's hair gently and watched over her.

She finally looked back at me.

"Thanks," she said quietly.

I shrugged. "It was the least I could do."

But why hadn't she done it herself? She was a powerful vampire; a Redfern.

Jez narrowed her eyes. "I'm really kind of tired, after everything that's happened today. I don't have much Power left."

She was too still, lying almost _too _skilfully. "Yeah..." I said, searching her eyes.

"Plus, I hurt," she said.

She stretched out her legs and flinched, distracting me.

I leaned closer to her and gently felt her legs to make sure they weren't broken.

"Can you move everything? What about your legs? Do you feel numb anywhere?" I asked.

"I can move everything, and I only wish I felt numb somewhere," she said, And I was. More than she imagine. "I didn't mean... I mean, this just hasn't turned out the way I planned. The kid getting hurt, you getting hurt. I just wasn't what I had in mind."

She looked at me in confusion, and said, "I'm not hurt," she was breathing slightly quicker than usual.

"Yes, you are," I said automatically. She'd just thrown herself off a three-storey building!

I touched her cheek gently, the one that had been burnt, and forced some of my Power into the burn so that it would heal quicker.

"Morgead – what are you doing?" Jez gasped.

"Giving you some Power. You're low and you need it."

I almost gasped out loud when I looked back into her cerulean eyes. They were soft, but filled with such confusion and contrasting emotions. The only emotion I was certain of was tenderness. So much more than how she'd looked at Iona, and so much more of a more mature tenderness. Not one that you would hold for a child, but for someone you were in love with.

She leaned her cheek into my hand.

Suddenly, I didn't care that she had just come back because of an assignment from Hunter. All I felt was relief. Relief that she was here.

Relief, and a heart-crushing love. More than I's ever felt before, even for her.

"Morgead..." she whispered.

The only emotion she had now in her eyes was tender love.

The internal battle was over.

"Jez..." I whispered.

I leaned forwards, the connection between us strengthening, and, finally, kissed her.

**Aww... I love Morgead!**

**Don't forget to tell me which name you prefer! It really would help me for a story I'm planning on writing after this. It's gonna be about Jez and Morgead again. I love writing about them!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A... ahem... **_**interesting **_**conversation with my friends.**

**We were in maths. I have Lauren next to me and Georgia in front, and Lauren had just finished drawing me a tattoo that said 'Delos' on my hand. She's only read up to 'The Chosen', and then gave up because she didn't enjoy the series. I asked her to draw a tattoo that said 'Morgead' on my other hand, and she picks out a pink pen and says, "How's this colour?"**

**I just looked at her incredulously (she knows I hate pink!) and then Georgia said, "Ha. Morgead in pink. Now **_**that **_**would be something interesting to see."**

**I burst out laughing, and Lauren (looking a bit confused) said, "Isn't Morgead a girl?"**

**Georgia and I absolutely cracked up. I've been completely obsessed with Night World for ages, and almost every day, I've been writing Delos, Morgead, Quinn and Ash on my hand, so I would have thought she would know that Morgead wasn't a girl!**

"**No, Lolly, Morgead is not a girl!" I said.**

**Lauren looks even more confused. "But I thought Morgead and Delos were Soulmates."**

**Me and Georgia burst out laughing again, and explain to Lauren that Delos has a Soulmate called Maggie, and the 'Jez' that we talk about so much is in fact a girl (we've got a boy called Jez in our maths class).**

**And with that, Lauren is the subject of mine and Georgia's teasing.**

**I do not own Night World.**

**Chapter 10**

Jez kissed me back. As desperately as I clutched her to me, she was doing the same, tangling her hands in my hair.

Our minds were merging again. Jez was protesting weakly, trying to reason with herself that we didn't want this, that we hated, it but she didn't push me away. There was a happiness in her thoughts that she couldn't deny, try as she might. I just held her and kissed her, waiting for her to admit that she truly did love me.

I opened my mind to let her in without a fight. I wanted her to know me more than the Soulmate principle wanted us to be together in our minds.

A small part of me wanted to just know her secret, what she was still keeping from me, but that was unimportant. I didn't mind too much anymore. I just wanted her to know me.

But, she did respond. Her thoughts touched mine gratefully. She was happy that I had shown her my thoughts, and she wanted me to know her too.

A focussed part of my mind noted that she was still protecting her secret, but I didn't care anymore. She could keep a thousand secrets from me, and, as long as she stayed, I would be happier than anyone had a right to. And I was happy.

~ * ~ * ~

_Jez! Morgead! What's wrong with you two? _Raven's mental voice broke through mine and Jez's perfect little world. I could feel Jez's reaction mirror my own. We were both annoyed. We neither of us wanted this to end.

_Hey, look; I'm just trying to help. If you guys are alive, then, like give us a sign, OK? _This time it was Val.

I groaned mentally as his voice pierced the happiness, letting bleak reality in.

_It's Val, _I thought to Jez. _I have to kill him_.

_I'm going to help, _Jez said in an annoyed tone. Confusion flicked through her thoughts. _Oh – wait. Where are we...?_

The same confusion flicked through my own thoughts.

We pulled our minds away from each other, albeit rather reluctantly, and with a shock like cold air, we were in our own bodies.

We were holding each other. Jez's head was leaning on my shoulder. My head was against her beautiful flame-like hair.

Jez jerked away, but still only slightly. She kept one hand on my back, as if she didn't want it to end.

I did the same, keeping one hand tight around her waist.

"What do you guys want?" I almost growled at them.

I glared at Raven. _Bad timing, again, _I thought to her. She just glared at me.

"What do we want?" she hissed back at me. She leaned forwards. "You three jumped off the roof just as the fire got out of control. We put it out and came down to see if you were still alive – and then we find you here hanging onto each other and totally out of it. And you want to know what we _want? _ We want to know if you're _OK." _

"We're fine," I said. I didn't say anything else.

Both Jez and I knew that neither of us wanted everyone to know our connection. We'd keep it to ourselves for a while, until we sorted it out or got used to it.

I flicked a glance towards Jez. She was blushing slightly, but in the second that I looked at her, I noticed that she looked happy. Maybe the happiest I'd ever seen her.

My heart swelled up with love.

"What about her?" Thistle said with distaste. She gestured towards Iona, who was still sleeping peacefully on the side walk.

Jez pulled away from me completely and checked on Iona, the sweet tenderness again in her expression.

"She's fine too," Jez said. She sat back, glaring at Thistle. "No thanks to you."

Thistle blushed scarlet. "She's just a human," she said indignantly.

Anger flashed through me. I didn't know why, but it made me want to tear Thistle apart, and before I knew it, I was on my feet, towering Thistle. "She's a kid!" I raged. Thistle looked up at me fearfully. "Which you're not," I went on. I didn't know what had provoked my reaction, maybe seeing Jez's care for Iona had changed my opinion. It worked pretty well; I was so ashamed I couldn't even say Iona's name out loud. I continued with my raging. "You're just a – a sixteen-year-old Shirley Temple wannabe."

'Shirley Temple's eyes widened, and then she glared.

"All right, both of you!" Jez shouted. We both looked at her, both of us still glaring. She was standing proudly, more like the huntress she used to be. Her silver-blue eyes were flashing with anger, her hair swirling around her in the light breeze. Her cheeks were flushed, and her arms were crossed over her chest. Every tense line of her body showed her annoyance. She turned to me and her expression softened slightly. Not much, though. "You – be quiet and let me take care of things," she said. I raised my eyebrows at the less-than-subtle reminder that she was leader, but she had already turned to Thistle. Her expression hardened again. "And you – if you ever try to hurt a kid again, I'll knock your head off."

I smiled smugly. She hadn't threatened _me. _I almost burst out laughing as I realised how childish I sounded. Was this really what love did? It was one that humans hadn't written about.

I knew it would be fun to be in love.

"OK," Jez said. She nodded, "that's settled. Now we've got to get this girl home."

Val looked at her blankly. "Home?" he asked curiously.

"Yeah, Val," Jez said as she picked up Iona. "In case you missed something, she's not the Wild Power."

Val shifted uncomfortably and looked at me. "You mean you were wrong?"

"There's a first time for everything, right?" I said, glaring at him.

I saw Jez out the corner of my eye, pressing her lips together to keep from laughing. She couldn't help herself from smiling, though.

"But, then – who is the Wild Power?" Raven said quietly.

"Who knows?" Pierce said, his voice amused.

"If this kid isn't the one – well, I guess it could have been anyone at the scene," Jez said slowly. "Anybody worried enough to want to save her. One of the fire-fighters, a neighbour – anybody."

"Assuming that the blue flash on the tape really was evidence of a Wild Power," Pierce said. He glanced at me hatefully.

What was _wrong _with him?

"I think it was," Jez said. She glanced at me. "It sure looked like blue fire. And it certainly was some kind of Power."

"And Grandma Harman dreamed about the Wild Power being in San Francisco," I cut in. "It all fits too well," I looked at Jez and smiled as I realised something. "But it couldn't have been anybody at the scene, you know."

She looked confused. "Why not?"

"Because of what you said about that line in the prophecy. 'Born in the year of the blind Maiden's vision'. That means it has to be someone born less than eighteen years ago. Before that, Aradia couldn't have visions because she wasn't alive."

Jez grimaced slightly, then nodded wryly. Respectfully, even. I smiled before I could stop myself. Her opinion mattered to me.

"It's still not much to go on," Raven said. "But don't you think we should go back inside to discuss it? Someone's going to come along eventually and see us with an unconscious kid."

"Good point," Jez said. "But I'm not going up with you. I'm taking the kid home."

"Me too." I said, and waited for an ultimatum to come from Jez. None came, strangely. She just looked at me for a second.

"OK, but just us. Two motorcycles are going to be conspicuous enough." She turned to Raven. "The rest of you can do what you want tonight; try to figure out who the Wild Power is or whatever. We'll meet again tomorrow and see what we've come up with."

"Why wait?" Val said. I silently agreed. "It's only dusk. We could meet tonight-"

"I'm tired," Jez said exasperatedly. She sounded tired, as if she was barely keeping awake, but her voice was authorative. "It's enough for the day."

Damn that secret she had! It was pushing her away from me, further and further away every time she denied something.

So you'll have to report to Hunter that we've failed," Pierce said, his voice lightly probing.

I realised with a shock that it wasn't just me who was curious.

Jez looked levelly back at Pierce. "Yeah, I'll tell him you screwed up. But that we still have some options. Unless you'd rather I just tell him that you're all idiots and not worth giving a second chance."

Well, she wasn't showing many of the softening affects of new love. Maybe she needed some time.

When she turned to me I almost gasped. She looked so tired, as if she could topple over any minute.

I knew how cranky she could get when she was tired, so I just turned and walked silently to the bikes.

We couldn't talk whilst we were travelling, of course. I wanted to, though. I needed her to be sure of me, for her to know that she could trust me with her life. She was too precious to lose. I would fight for her against anything.

But why was she being so distant? She'd been so happy before, but now, she was silent. Maybe she was disgusted that I'd honestly thought about hurting Iona before, or disgusted that I'd kissed her. Maybe she didn't want us to be Soulmates. Which we were. I was ecstatic about that. Why couldn't she be happy?

I loved her. I wanted her to love me.

The police were at Iona's aunt's house. The cars were many, all of them parked outside the apartment block. A few police men were standing outside, walkie-talkies in hand.

I noticed Jez stiffen slightly in front of me and she swung round into an alley. I followed her.

"We'll have to do a drive-by," she said. "Drop her by the police cars and then shoot out of there. They'll probably chase us. Are you up for it?"

I nodded. "We should go separate ways. That'll make it harder for them to catch us."

"Right. You go on home once you loose them. So will I."

She would go back to her uncle Bracken? I hoped so. "So will you? Go home?"

_Come back, Jez, _I thought, but not to her.

"I mean I'll go to the place where I'm stayed," she amended.

A flash of pain went through me. The Soulmate bond wasn't enough to keep her here. She still wasn't coming back. "Do you have to?" I asked.

She froze and then glared at me, just when I realised what could have been meant by that question.

"Yes, I have to. I _want _to. I'm tired, Morgead, and anyway I'm not ready to be spending the night with a guy."

"I didn't mean _that..._" I said urgently.

Jez waved a hand, silencing me. "I know. I'm sorry," she said. "But I'm still tired, and-"

She broke off and looked away, biting her lip.

I could guess what she was thinking.

"And your still mad," I said. I sighed.

"I'm not mad-"

"Or disgusted or whatever."

She frowned, looking confused. "I'm just tired," she said firmly. "Now let's drop the kid off, and I'll see you tomorrow."

Why was she retreating from me? I felt sick with fear.

"I-" I sighed. "All right."

I wanted to go closer to her, just to hold her for a second. I started to get off my bike, but she was already pelting out of the alley.

I blinked back the tears that threatened to overwhelm, and followed her.

She swooped right to a woman and thrust Iona into her arms, then shot away. I followed her for a while. Several police cars were following us.

She looked back just as I swung onto a side street. I waved at her, then sped off.

Only one police car came after me, the rest went after Jez. I was worried (she'd probably kill me if she found out) but I knew that she could shake off a few humans in her sleep.

I shook off my own lone police car – it was easier than it should be – then went straight to my apartment.

I sent up a probing tendril of thought, to see if anyone was there. Thankfully, there was no-one. I wanted to think to myself for a minute.

I took the stairs two at a time and burst through the door, then collapsed onto the couch and just lay there, thinking.

Jez was back. She loved me, but I didn't think she knew it yet. I would make her know. _She will admit it to me, _I thought. _Tomorrow, I'll force her to admit it to me._

What hurt me most was her evident mis-trust in me. Everything else I could live through, but I needed her to trust me the same that I needed air to breathe.

We would talk tomorrow. Tomorrow, we would figure out what to do. We were Soulmates; we would figure it out. We were meant to be together.

I went to sleep, the happiest I'd been since the night when she left.

I dreamed of Jez.


	11. Chapter 11

**I don't own Night World.**

**Chapter 11**

In my dream, Jez was younger, about seven. She was trying to communicate something with her eyes, something important.

She opened her mouth, and I saw that her fangs were out. They suddenly disappeared and she changed into how she was now, her seventeen-year-old self. She opened her mouth again and started to talk...

I woke up.

I sat up quickly and looked towards the door, just as the phone rang. That must have been what'd woken me up in the first place.

I stumbled to the desk and picked the phone up.

"Hello?" I said into it.

"Morgead, it's Pierce," his voice was urgent. "I have some new leads on the Wild Power."

I was silent for a second. "What are they?" I asked.

"You'll have to come to Muir Woods. It's better that you see it. I can't really explain it."

"OK," I said, and I hung up.

I ran out of the door without checking my reflection. The visibility was low; all that the dim pre-dawn light could offer, and it was slightly misty. I ran to my motorbike.

My instincts told me to stop.

I skidded to a halt, just outside the door into my block of apartments, and looked around in shock. There was something different about this place.

I gathered up all my Power. A leaf rustled behind me. Movement.

I searched for the persons mind, fighting my instinct to turn around. I lashed out just as I felt a club – wooden – crash down on my head.

I had just enough time to realise that I recognised the mind, but not who it was, before I sank into darkness.

~ * ~ * ~

I woke up as someone was brushing my hair back from my forehead. I opened my eyes.

She was bent over me, anxious love in her blue eyes.

"Jez!"

I sat up quickly and the dim light there was went black as I almost fainted again. Someone, probably Jez, pushed me back down. I sat up again, determined to protect myself and Jez, and the world came into focus.

There was no immediate danger. We were in a sort of cart – probably a van – which was moving, jerking us every which way. There were two other people with us, both unconscious. Humans. One of them I recognised; he was a Daybreaker, but the other I had never seen before. It was a girl with short black hair.

"Jez, what happened? Where are we?" I glanced back at Jez. She had a cut on her cheek, but that was it. The two humans seemed in much worse shape.

"I was hoping you'd tell me that."

We both started searching for a way to escape.

"I got hit," I told her. "With wood. Somebody got me after I left the apartment." I looked at her, realising that something bad must have happened to her. "Are you OK?" If anyone had hurt her...

"Yeah. I got hit with a car," at least it wasn't wood. "But it could have been worse; it was almost a train. Do you have any idea who hit you?"

"No. Pierce called to say he'd come up with something on the Wild Power. I was going to meet him when suddenly I got attacked from behind." I pushed against the metal barrier that probably separated us from whoever was driving. I didn't give way. I turned back to Jez. "What do you mean, a train?"

She ignored me. "Nothing here. Nothing on the sides. This van is stripped." She kept her back to me.

"Nothing here, either. What do you mean, a train?"

Jez finally turned to face me, her expression incredulous. "You really don't know?"

I stared at her in shock. She thought I'd caused her to almost be hit by a train? Where would I have _gotten _said train in the first place?

"You think I would do something to hurt you?" I asked her angrily.

Jez shrugged, her chin jutting out rebelliously. "It's happened in the past."

I glared at her. All the times that I'd hurt her had been in self defence; _she'd _ been the one who'd always started, _she'd _been the one who wanted to test herself.

"I have no idea what is going on. And I would _not _try to hurt." She still didn't know that I loved her.

"Then we're both in trouble."

I leant back, still keeping my eyes on her. "I believe you there," I said gently to her.

Who could it have been? Someone who knew we had evidence of the Wild Power, obviously.

"It's the Council, isn't it?" I guessed. _I'm sorry I brought you into this, Jez, _I thought. "They found out about Hunter's deal with us, and their moving in."

I closed my eyes and pushed my knuckles against my forehead. _I'm so sorry, Jez, _I thought again.

"Probably," Jez said after a silence. I lifted my head to look at her. Her jaw was clenched and she was staring at one of the humans. The boy.

We were both quiet for a minute, me staring at her, her staring at the humans, her expression one of sadness and fatigue. She seemed to know them. Finally, she turned to look at me.

"Whether it's the Council or not, we're going to have to fight them," she said. "How's your energy-blast trick? The one you demonstrated when we were stick-fighting."

"Not good. I used up all my Power fighting the guys who tackled me. It'll be a long time before I recharge."

A ghost of hope had started to shine on her face, but as soon as I'd started talking, it quenched.

"Too bad," she muttered. "Because those two aren't going to be able to do much."

Ah, she did know them.

"Those humans? Who are they, by the way?"

Her face was suddenly panicked. She looked away from me and said flatly. "That's Claire, and this is Hugh." Did I imagine the softened tone of her voice when she said the boy's name? "They're acquaintances. They've helped me in the past."

"Humans?"

"Even humans can be useful sometimes."

"I thought one of them might be the Wild Power."

"You thought if I found the Wild Power I wouldn't tell you?"

She looked steadily at me, her shoulders squared, her arms crossed, her eyes defiant.

I pot my head to one side, trying to understand her thoughts. "It occurred to me."

"You're so cynical, Morgead."

"I prefer to call it observant." I watched her. She was looking back me, her eyes wide. "For instance, I can tell you something about your friend Hugh, there. I saw him in the city, just once, but I remember his face. He's a damned Daybreaker."

I half-hoped that she hadn't known this, that she would turn away from him in disgust.

The hope was in vain.

"So maybe I'm using him for something."

"And maybe," I said, trying as hard as I could to not show that my heart was breaking, into a million pieces. "You're using me."

She stared me, absolutely still. Her eyes were wide with fear.

"You know, there's still a connection between us. I can feel it, sort of like a cord between our minds. It pulls. You can't deny it, Jez. It's there whether you like it or not. And-" I paused as her expression showed more fear, to keep the tension. "It tells me things. Things about you."

I pulled gently on the cord that bound us, trying to understand the extent of her secret.

Jez's expression was suddenly furious. "So what's it telling you now?" she said sarcastically.

"That you're not telling truth. That there's something you've been keeping from me. And that it has to do with him." I nodded towards the unconscious boy. The pieces were starting to add up, falling in place so quickly that I supposed I already had known what it was all along. I must have been suppressing it. "Something to do with why you want the Wild Power. And with where you've been for the past year, and with why you suddenly want to protect humans." I smiled. I had her now, and she knew it as well as I did. "And why you say 'Goddess' when you're surprised. No vampire says that. It's a witch thing."

She gritted her teeth together, clenching her hands into fists. "Anything else?" she said gently, but with menace in her voice. That only made me smile wider.

"And with why you're scared of me reading your thoughts." Ha. Never thought I would say 'scared and 'Jez' in one sentence without a negating word. "Told you I was observant."

Her eyes flashed a beautiful silver in fury. "Yeah, Morgead, you're brilliant. So are you smart enough to figure out what it all _means? _Or just to get suspicious?"

"It means," I looked away, running through it again in my head, trying to figure out another way. Jez wouldn't be that stupid... "It means... that you're," I looked back at her. Begging her with my eyes. "With Circle Daybreak."

"Very good," Jez said, her eyes harsh with anger. "Two points. No, one; it took you long enough."

I just stared at her. She was with Circle Daybreak?

I jumped across the van to her. She jumped too, in a crouch, ready to defend herself. I didn't attack, though. I just grabbed her shoulders and shook.

"You little idiot!" I yelled.

She must hate me; otherwise, she would take care of herself.

Her eyes were wide with startled shock. "What?"

What did she think? "You're a Daybreaker?"

"I thought you had it all figured out." She was gazing at me with searching eyes.

"I did – I guess – but I still can't believe it. Jez, why? Don't you know how stupid that is? Don't you realise what's going to happen to them?"

"Look, Morgead-"

"They're going to _lose, _Jez. It's not just going to be the Council against them now. Everybody in the Night World is gunning for them. Their going to be wiped out, and anyone who sides with them will be wiped out too."

We were so close to each other, me still gripping her arms. Jez didn't flinch away from the proximity. Behind her glare, there was that tender love that made my breath catch in throat in her expression (along with annoyance, aggravation and that look that meant she wanted to kill me).

"I'm not just siding with them. I _am _one of them," she hissed at me. I looked at her incredulously. "I'm a damned Daybreaker."

"You're a dead Daybreaker," I threatened her automatically. "I can't believe this. How am I supposed to protect you from the whole Night World?"

I wished that I'd known how much of a chore it would be to be Jez's soulmate; I would have prepared in some way.

"What?" she said in shock.

I leaned back slightly, embarrassed. I still hadn't got used to her knowing everything. I looked away. "You heard me. I don't care who your friends are, Jez. I don't even care that you came back to use me. I'm just glad you came back. We're Soulmates, and nothing can change that." I fought the tears, shaking my head furiously. "Even if you won't admit it."

"Morgead..." Jez said softly. I could feel her eyes on me. "I'm sorry. For all this, Morgead – I'm sorry. It really wasn't fair for me to come back."

It hadn't been fair for her to leave! "I told you; I'm glad you did. We can work things out – if you'll just stop being so stubborn. We'll get out of this-"

She interrupted me. "Even if we get out of it, nothing's going to change." I looked at her, a split-second before she looked at me. I hadn't realised she'd looked away. Her eyes were shining with tears that were threatening to spill over. "I can't be you Soulmate, Morgead."

"Yes, you can," I said. She was my Soulmate. _Stop fighting it, Jez._ "I told you. I don't care who your friends are. We'll keep you alive somehow. The only thing I don't understand is _why_ you'd want to ally yourself with stupid humans, when you know their going to lose."

She stared at me for a while, despair etched onto every dazzling, exquisite line of her face.

I loved her, and I knew that she loved me. She'd said that she was sorry, but if she was truly sorry, she'd stop fighting the Soulmate bond and just accept it.

And we'd finally be together, the way we should.

A couple of tears escaped her eyes. Unlike most people, she was as lovely as ever, even when she cried. Her eyes were more open, no walls or boundaries, and the crystal drops shimmered and glistened as they hung on her eyelashes.

Her expression was filled with such despair and anguish.

I started to move, to brush the tears away, and to hold and comfort her, to make her happy again, but her next words froze me.

"Because _I'm _a human."


	12. Chapter 12

**I don't own Night World.**

**Chapter 12**

I thought I'd misheard her. Her voice had been so quiet. But nothing in her eyes contradicted her words.

"But that's- that's not... That's not possible. You're a vampire."

"Only half," Jez said. She was crying, but she didn't seem to notice the tears. Her eyes were feverishly bright. "The other half is human. My mother was human. Claire is my cousin, and she's human. I've been living with my uncle Jim, my mother's brother, and his family. They're all human."

I closed my eyes. It wasn't possible.

But it explained a lot.

"Vampires and humans can't have kids. You can't be half and half." I tried to argue, futilely, what I knew was the truth.

"Oh yeah, I can," she said. "My father broke the laws of the Night World. He fell in love with a human, and they got married, and here I am. And then, when I was three or so, some other vampires came and tried to kill us all." I looked up at her. She wasn't looking at me, and her eyes were distant, as if she was seeing something far away. "They knew I was half-human. They kept yelling 'kill the freak'. So that's what I am, you see." She looked back at me, her eyes filling with anguish. The tears were flowing quicker now. "A freak."

I shook my head in defiance. If she was human, I couldn't love her. It would be too dangerous for her. Hunter already knew about me, and if he heard a rumour or something that Jez was human, he would kill us both, no questions asked.

I couldn't let her die. The world would have no meaning.

"I'm vermin, Morgead," Jez continued. I focussed on her automatically on her. "One of them. Prey. That's what I realised a year ago, when I left the gang. Up until then I had no idea, but that last night we hunted, I remembered the truth. And I knew I had to go away and try to make up for all the things I'd done to humans. I didn't just become a Daybreaker. I became a vampire hunter. I track down vampires who like to kill, who enjoy making humans suffer, and I stake them. You know why? Because they deserve to die."

She staked vampires? Did she come back to stake me, then? She knew I enjoyed the hunt; we all did.

"Jez-" I murmured.

"It's weird," she interrupted, ignoring me. She was pale, breathing quickly, her eyes flickering around the van. They were bright and feverous. She was still crying. "I don't know about our connection." She smiled at me bitterly, twisting the broken pieces of my heart. Hurting me more and more. "But I felt bad lying to you. I'm almost glad to finally tell you the truth. I kind of wanted to tell you a year ago when it happened, but I knew you'd kill me, and that made me a little hesitant."

She was in hysterics, laughing through the tears that were pouring down her face.

Jez calmed down and stretched. Her eyes were filling with a strong hatred. "So, anyway. Are you going to try and kill me now? Or is the engagement just off?"

She was twisting my heart painfully again. Her eyes were shining as the tears started to stop flowing. Her expression was still filled with despair. She was looking at me, her breath close to hyperventilation.

"That's why you wouldn't drink my blood," I said.

"I haven't had a blood meal for a year. I don't need to, if I don't use my Powers."

I looked away. "Well, maybe you'd better drink some of your human friends'," I said. "Because whoever has us-"

I broke off as I felt the van pulling into a driveway.

Jez looked at me pleadingly. "Look. I know you hate me now, but whoever has us hates us both. I'm not asking you to help me. I just want to get my cousin away – and I'm asking you not to stop me from doing that. Later, you can fight me or whatever. We take care of that between the two of us. Just don't stop me from saving Claire."

She thought I could go from loving her absolutely, being ready to die for her a million times over, and switching to hating her in a second?

But maybe it would be easier for her if she thought I hated her, because we couldn't be together. It was too dangerous for her.

And maybe a way of _showing _her that I loved her would be better than telling her. I would do what she asked of me, as I always did, as a way to prove that I loved her.

She looked away from me and went into a defensive crouch, her back to me, ready to attack our capturers.

I stayed where I was, keeping my back pressed to the wall.

The door opened, letting blinding sunlight penetrate the darkness. Jez recoiled.

When my eyes adjusted, I saw that there were five people, thugs, blocking the doorway. Three of them had wooden spears pointed straight at Jez and the other two had guns.

"If anybody tries to fight," someone said. "Shoot the unconscious ones in the kneecaps."

Jez sagged immediately as they led her out. I didn't fight either. Trying to keep my promise to Jez. The humans couldn't be worthless if she wanted to save them.

There were more thugs outside, surrounding all of us with deadly wooden spears.

We were somewhere secluded. There was one house, where we were obviously going, and a lot of trees.

We were pushed into the living room of the house, and the vampires who were carrying the humans dumped them on the floor.

We were tied up. It was against my instincts to not attack, but I fought it. The two thugs still had the guns, and were pointing them at the humans, warning us that they would shoot if we attacked.

They finished tying Jez and I up, with bast rope so we could hardly move, and started on the humans, waking them up.

The looking around her with bewildered eyes. "I- where are we? What's going on, Jez?"

"It's alright, Claire," Jez said. "Just keep quiet, OK? We're in a little trouble, but don't tell them anything."

Jez gazed at the girl, completely still.

"A little trouble? _I_ don't think so," a hard, ice-like voice said from the doorway.

A girl stepped into the room. She had hair the colour of a raven's wing, and golden eyes. She looked about my age. I recognised her immediately.

It was Lily Redfern, Hunter's only remaining child.

"I should probably introduce myself," Lily said, looking at Jez with a cruel smile. "I'm Lily Redfern."

I saw Jez stiffen.

"And now let me introduce my associates, who've done so much to make all this possible."

She gestured behind her, and a vampire with dark skin and black hair stepped into the room.

"This is Azarius. I think you've met."

I glanced at Jez. She was glaring at Azarius hatefully.

"And this," Lily said, smiling savagely, "is someone you've also met." She gestured behind her again, and someone else stepped through the threshold.

Pierce Holt.

He waved at us, smiling.

The world tinted red with my rage. How dare he get Jez and I caught!

I roared at him and struggled to get up to attack, forgetting momentarily that I was tied up. I fell on the floor, trying to get free.

Two people laughed. I didn't see who.

"You really didn't guess?" Pierce's voice said. "You're so stupid, Morgead. Coming out this morning to meet me, so trusting, so naïve – I thought you were smarter. I'm disappointed."

I twisted on the floor to glare at him. "No, you're dead. You are dead when this is over! You betrayed the gang. You're complete scum. You're-"

"Shut him up," Lily interrupted. One of the thugs kicked me on my head.

I barely felt the pain, though I heard Jez hiss angrily.

"I'm smart," Pierce said. "And I'm going to survive. I knew there was something fishy when _she _said she had a deal with Hunter Redfern. It didn't sound right – and then the way she was so worried about that vermin kid. So I made a few calls, and I found out the truth."

"You realise that your friend there is working for Circle Daybreak," Lily said, a wicked smile curving up her lips.

I was suddenly grateful that Jez told me everything. If I'd found out from Lily, there was no guessing to what I might have been persuaded to do.

I flinched, but Lily was already going on. "She lied to you and tricked you. She was trying to get the Wild Power for them."

I snarled at Lily. If she really thought that Jez being with Circle Daybreak would stop me loving her, she was stupider than even Pierce was.

"And she's not just a Daybreaker," Pierce growled. He threw a glare at Jez. She, naturally, returned one with more venom. "She's a mutant abomination. She's half vermin. She should have been drowned at birth."

"You should have been drowned at birth," I growled back at him.

Lily waved one hand, and Pierce and I looked at her instead of glaring at each other.

"OK," she said. "Enough fun and games. Down to business." Lily walked to the centre of the room as two of the thugs pulled me into a sitting position. "I've only got one question for you," she continued, looking us all in the eye. I glared at her when she looked at me. "Which human is the Wild Power?"

She was looking at Jez as she said this. I looked at her. She was gazing at the humans.

After a second, she looked back at Lily, staring at her levelly.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she said.

Most onlookers would have thought that Jez was telling the truth, but I could tell that she wasn't being truthful. Her neck was tense as she held herself slightly too still. Her chin was raised, and she had a slightly arrogant look in her eyes. Lily punched her shoulder hard. Jez just laughed and shook her hair back.

Lily growled quietly. "You think this is funny?" she said, still quiet. "My father sent me to get the Wild Power, and that's just what I'm going to do. Even if it means tearing you and your vampire boyfriend to pieces, mutant."

"Yeah, well, suppose I don't know? Did you ever think of that? Then I can't tell, no matter what you and your little..." Jez paused to glare at Pierce and Azarius. "Your little hobgoblins do."

She smirked slightly, and I almost burst out laughing.

"Look, you little freak..." she gave up and turned away to one of the thugs. "Teach her a lesson."

The thugs advanced menacingly, with cruel smiles. A couple of them cracked their knuckles.

And then they beat her.

The humans were yelling at the thugs. I was snarling at them angrily, but Jez sat proudly, her chin still high, as if she couldn't feel the pain. Her eyes were closed and I could hear her murmuring a song under her breath. Her hair was tumbling down her back, slightly curled and shimmering when it moved.

Finally they stopped, leaving Jez with a swelling eyelid, bruises covering every inch of the skin I could see, and a cut stretching over her cheek. Jez ducked her head, breathing deeply, her hair covering her face.

"Now," Lily said, walking up to Jez, her expression amused. "Has your memory gotten any better."

Jez raised her chin again. "I can't tell you something I don't know," she said, a hint of exasperation touching her voice.

"She doesn't have to tell you," the human boy, Hugh, said. "I'll tell you. It's me."

Everyone in the room turned to stare at him.

He gazed steadily back at Lily. She turned to Azarius. He shrugged.

"Sure, it could be. I told you, it could be either of them. They were both at the station when the flash came and the train stopped."

"Hmm..." Lily said.

She prowled towards Hugh. He didn't look away, just gazed at her as levelly as Jez had.

The girl, Jez's cousin Claire, straightened her back. "I don't know _what _you're talking about," she said, looking at Hugh. "You know perfectly well it's me," she turned to Lily. "I'm the Wild Power."

I felt a sudden rush of respect for these two humans, who were trying to save Jez. I knew it wouldn't work; she was half-human. They would kill her, unless we managed to kill them first.

A plan quickly formed in my mind. Jez was right. These humans should be saved. If I could only just get _one _away, Jez's sacrifice wouldn't be in vain.

So I would try to save them. For that reason, and the fact that I was too proud to be out-done by humans, no matter how brave. And I was also too proud to ever admit to that.

I laughed.

"If you really want to know who it is, it's me," I said.

I felt the weight of Jez's gaze on me, a gaze I knew so well. I turned to her.

Her expression was one of surprise and shock. And that gentle tenderness that made my heart beat so quickly. There were tears pouring down her face again. I wanted so much to reach out and brush them away.

I reached out to her mind gently. She accepted me, welcomed me, even, obviously eager for an explanation.

_There's just a chance they'll let one of them go with a beating. Just maybe – as a warning to Circle Daybreak, not to mess with Hunter anymore. Especially if I convince Lily I'll work with her, _I though to her.

Jez's beautiful face was suddenly terrified. She shook her head slightly and glared at me. I could read that pretty easily. She was worried about what they would so to me.

I smiled slightly. She had finally fallen in love with me, but too late. We would be torn apart too early.

_What difference does it make? _I murmured to her. _You and me – we're lost anyway. And without you, I don't care what happens._

She stared at me, still crying. Every delicate, dazzling, divine feature showed that she was anguished.

"If I have to kill all of you-" Lily growled.

Jez and I looked back at her.

"Wait," Pierce said. "There's a simple way to find." He pointed at Jez, smiling as if amused. "Stake her."

I tensed.

"_What?" _I faintly heard Lily say.

"She's never going to tell you anything. She's expendable. And there's something you have to understand about the Wild Power." He moved closer to Lily. I watched and listened numbly. It was too much for me. Only my survival instinct kept me conscious. "I think Morgead was right about one thing," he continued. "I think the Wild Power isn't operating consciously at this point. It's only when danger is greatest, when there's no physical way to escape, that the Power comes out."

My breathing was edging close to hyperventilation. My gaze flickered to Jez a lot. She was sitting tall and proud, more like the huntress she used to be. Her expression was calm on the surface, but I could see desperation in her eyes.

Lily glanced at Hugh and Claire. "You mean they may not know which it is?"

"Maybe not. Maybe it's completely automatic at this point. But there's one way to find out. They all seem – attached – to the half-breed. Put her life in danger, and then see which of them can break free and try to save her."

Lily's lips twisted into a savage smile. "I knew there was a reason I liked you," she said. "Go on, do it," she ordered gesturing towards the thugs.

I glanced towards Jez. Her eyes were a bit more scared as the thugs advanced, but apart from that she seemed as calm as ever.

"No!" I roared, struggling futilely against the ropes. "Don't you dare hurt her!"

Claire was screaming a mixture of curses, and Hugh was shouting in anger. Lily was laughing.

But Jez was quiet, humming gently under her breath the same song as before. I recognised it this time. It was a lullaby that her uncle used to sing to us when we were younger. It brought back happy memories of earlier days.

We calmed down after a while. The thugs had pulled Jez forwards and put her on her back. Azarius was standing above her, holding an uneven stake and a misshapen hammer. I growled, but they all ignored me. I couldn't hurt them tied up like this.

"Isn't it interesting," Lily said, smiling directly at Jez. "That a stake through the heart is the only thing that takes care of humans and vampire equally efficiently?"

"And half-breeds, too," Pierce said. He looked down at Jez and laughed.

"Lily, listen. Listen," I said desperately. "You don't have to do this. I already told you, it's me Just wait a minute and talk to me-"

"Don't even bother, human lover," Lily said. "If you're the Wild Power, then save her."

The tears, that I'd been able to hold back for so long, overwhelmed and spilled out of my eyes in a steady stream. I had begun to hope that we could bargain our way out of this, that Jez could walk away unharmed, but I knew now that it was impossible.

And I would have to follow as soon as possible, afterwards. I couldn't live without my angel.

"Don't any of you do anything!" Jez yelled. Her voice was slightly distorted due to fear. "Not anything, do you understand?"

_Jez... _I thought desperately as Azarius moved forwards.

"Do it. Right beside the heart first," Lily said. She glared hatefully at Jez.

Azarius lifted the stake and placed it carefully onto Jez's chest. She looked up, her eyes frightened but still steady, not wavering. Her expression was calm.

He raised the hammer.

"_Jez!"_ I screamed through the tears that were flowing freely.

"None of you do anything," Jez shouted. Her voice cracked a couple of times.

Azarius brought the hammer down hard.

Jez screamed.


	13. Chapter 13

**My friend Georgia told me of an interesting conversation between her and another friend of ours, Akira.**

**Akira is the kind of person who calls everyone 'gay', and in this particular lesson, Science, it was no exception. She was calling Georgia gay, and every time she said that, Georgia replied with 'I'm not gay, I'm straight!'**

**This continued for a while, until Georgia got so fed up with Akira that the last time she said it, she shouted, 'I'm not gay, I'm straight! I like girls!'**

**This of course was a mistake (she meant to say 'I don't like girls', I think), but she'd said it nice and loud. Nice one, EG!!!**

**I don't own Night World.**

**Chapter 13**

Through the bond that still connected Jez and I, I could feel some of the pain she was feeling roll into me. It shocked me with it's intensity.

But I knew that it was only a fraction of what Jez was feeling.

She'd stopped screaming, but instead gasping sobs were shaking her body.

_JezJezJezJez... _I kept on thinking. I couldn't think anything else. Her name was the only anchor that kept me from going mad with seeing my Jez, my angel, dying in front of me.

Because I knew that she could never recover from a wound like that. She would die from it, like so many other vampires before her had died from the stake.

I could hear the gist of her thoughts through our bond.

_Morgead... _she thought. _So much pain..._

"What is wrong with you?" Lily shrieked. "Don't you see what's happening to her? Don't you _want_ to save her?"

Jez breathing became slower and more laboured. She moaned and shook her head slightly, as if in defiance to the pain.

"Don't you understand," Lily shouted, bending over Jez. "You can stop this right now. I'll have him kill you cleanly – all the pain will be over. All you have to do its tell me who it is."

Jez smiled slightly, triumphantly. Our bond was getting thinner and weaker. I could feel it; a tangible pain that radiated through my entire body. I could feel the place in my chest where Jez had been empty, so slowly. I realised now how much she was a part of my life. I wouldn't even need to kill myself when Jez died; I would just shrivel up and die.

"How can you be so stupid?" Lily screamed. Jez jumped slightly at the sudden shriek, and the weakening of our bond halted for a bit.

Lily turned away and yelled, "All right. Get the other vampire down here too. Morgead." She turned back to smirk at Jez. "We'll just have to stake your friends one after the other until the Wild Power decides to reveal itself."

"No..." Jez whispered, almost inaudibly.

I, for the most part, was relieved. I would never have to live without my angel. We would die together.

I wondered, would there be after-life? It was impossible to imagine that Jez wouldn't exist, in any form. She belonged in Paradise. I didn't, though. My personal hell would be any length of time without Jez, so that was probably what I was getting.

A couple of the thugs grabbed me and forced me onto the floor. Some others were pushing Claire and Hugh down.

I turned my head so I could still watch Jez. She was still beautiful, even when she was dying. Her eyes were closed and diamond tears hung on her long eyelashes. She was pale, and panting hard, moaning 'No' at different times.

She would be the last thing I saw before I died.

"Jez, I love you," I whispered to her.

She looked at me. Her breathing was calming down, and she seemed unafraid.

Pierce was standing about me with a stake. I glared at him once, then looked back at Jez. She was watching me, a strange expression on her face.

She smiled at me once, then winked.

"Do it!" Lily screeched.

Everything seemed to hold still for a second, and then a blinding funnel of blue erupted from Jez.

It was mostly going up, but some to the sides. I felt the ropes that were tied around me break, freeing me, and Pierce's smug, sneering face disappeared, completely dematerialising. I stared at where he'd been in shock.

Of course... Jez was the Wild Power. It all made sense.

_One from the Day World where two eyes are watching._

That line was about Jez, of course.

The blue... substance... disappeared slowly. I lay still in absolute disbelief, staring up into blue sky; the Wild Power had blown out the ceiling and walls.

There was movement next to me. I turned my head.

Jez was still on the floor, her eyes closed, her breathing shallow. There was a horrifically large puddle of blood next to her.

"Jez!" I said. I struggled to my knees and slid over the couple of feet that separated us. I cradled her in my arms as Hugh and Claire came next to me.

"Jez? Jez!" I murmured to her. My tears fell on her face.

She stirred, and opened her cerulean eyes. The light was fading, and they were filled with such pain. I couldn't speak around the blockage in my throat.

_Jez, can you hear me?_ I asked her mentally.

She frowned slightly and blinked, as if trying to focus.

After a couple of seconds, a whispered, "I feel warm," came through her lips.

"No you don't!" I said quickly.

_Don't give up, Jez. _I thought desperately.

"You're so pretty," she said, watching Claire and Hugh. "Like angels."

"This isn't the time for your weird humour!" I shouted at her.

"Stop it! Don't yell at her!" Claire shouted, hitting me gently on my arm. She took Jez's hand.

"She's going to be alright," I muttered to myself, making myself believe it – stupidly. It would only hurt me more when she-

I broke off the thought. "She's lost blood, but she'll be OK."

Hugh started stroking her hair back. I held her tighter, trying to anchor her right here.

Jez's eyes didn't leave my face.

"Tell Hugh..." she whispered slowly.

"Tell Hugh your freaking self!" I interrupted her furiously. "He's right here! And you're not going anywhere."

She looked at Hugh, frowning in pain. "Hugh... the prophecy. I figured out what the two eyes watching were. They're the sun and the moon – get it? Two eyes... for someone who belongs to both worlds."

Her breathing was becoming more and more laboured, and her heart was faltering, stuttering and sometimes missing a beat.

"The Day World and the Night World," Hugh was saying softly. "You got it, Jez. That was so smart."

"And blood," Jez said slightly quicker, urgently. " 'Power in the blood' – that's why I couldn't do it anytime I wanted. Blood has to flow before you can let out the Power. The first two times Claire was scratching me. And this time..." her voice faltered, and she broke off.

"That was smart too, Jez," Hugh said. He'd started to cry, too. "You figured it out. And you saved us. You did everything just right."

"No... because there's only going to be three Wild Powers now..."

"No, there aren't," I interrupted her. Her gaze flickered back to me wearily. Listen to me, Jez. There's no reason for you to die-"

"Wood... poison..." she whispered.

"No, it isn't. Not to humans. And you're half human, Jez. You're vampire enough to survive something that would kill a human, but you're human enough not to be poisoned by wood."

But I could I could feel the falsity in my words . My connection to Jez was getting weaker, as quickly as the light in her eyes dimmed. The strands of our bond started to break.

Her eyes were still open, gazing at me, but unseeingly. Her heart beat stuttered.

"I love you, Jez," Claire whispered. I didn't look at her, just watched Jez. "You're the best cousin anyone could ever have."

"Jez, I'm so proud to be your friend..." Hugh whispered.

Jez had stopped breathing. I watched her desperately.

Hugh and Claire had given up pretty quickly. They underestimated Jez.

I didn't. And I would never give up.

Hugh's hand dropped from Jez's hair.

"DON'T YOU DARE DIE ON ME, JEZEBEL!" I bellowed, mentally and physically.

Jez's body jerked a bit.

"DON'T YOU DARE! Or I'll follow you to the next world and KILL you."

I could feel Jez's reaction, mostly annoyance. She stirred mentally.

"You come back and you do it _right now,_" I carried on. I could feel that Claire and Hugh were watching me, but I didn't turn. I tugged on the cord that bound Jez and I together for eternity. "Right now! Do you hear me?"

I pressed my lips to her forehead and kissed her. Suddenly Jez gasped.

"She's breathing again!" Claire shouted. "She's breathing!"

"I love you, you stupid human," I whispered against her cheek. It was such a relief to be able to say it out loud. "I can't live without you. Don't you know that?"

"I told you never to call me Jezebel," she whispered, and then she fainted.

I held her for a bit longer, rocking her. She was alright now – I could tell.

"Do you know where the nearest Circle Daybreak building is?" I asked Hugh.

He nodded, and got up, seeming slightly shell-shocked. I tightened my arms around Jez and stood up, being careful not to jostle her too much. We started walking.

"Can I ask you two something?" Claire asked.

"Sure," Hugh said. "You must be pretty confused."

"You don't say," Claire whispered to herself sarcastically. "I'm just trying to get my head around this." She turned to me. "You're a vampire," she said, her voice faltering.

I smirked. "Yep," I said cheerfully.

"OK," she said weakly. "How do you know Jez?" she asked.

"Well... to cut a long story short, I've known Jez since I was about five. And the way we met," I smiled wryly. "She fell out of a tree and I happened to be underneath it."

"Did she land on you?" Hugh asked. He was grinning.

I laughed. "Yes, she did."

Claire chuckled to herself. "And you?" she asked Hugh.

"I'm human," he said.

She frowned slightly. "But Jez said that you were one of her 'weird' friends,"

"You could say that. I'm an Old Soul."

I looked at him in shock as he began to explain what an Old Soul was.

He certainly seemed like an Old Soul. He had that sadness in his eyes, that patient tranquillity in his expression.

Thankfully, the building where a part of Circle Daybreak was based wasn't too far. We got there after a few minutes of walking.

"Oh, Goddess," a Witch said when we entered through the door.

Hugh looked at me. I nodded.

"She's the Wild Power," he said.

"Oh, Goddess," the Witch said again. "I need urgent help!" she shouted towards the door.

She rushed up to me and took Jez from my arms gently.

"Wait here for a minute," she said. She whisked Jez through a door as more people came through and followed her.

I leant back against the wall.

"She'll be fine," I muttered to myself. I closed my eyes.

The next couple of hours were torturous. Claire went out after a while to phone her parents, explaining that she and Jez were staying round a friend's house for the night.

"We have to think up a better explanation, though," she said to Hugh as she walked back in the room. "A wound like that will take weeks to heal, not one night."

"We'll think up of one in a bit," came Hugh's soothing reply.

Not long afterwards, a human came through to see us."

"They've finished, and she's conscious. You can come to see her, but one at a time and not more than five minutes each," she smiled and walked away.

"You go on, Morgead," Hugh said.

I smiled at him in thanks and walked quickly in through the door.

Jez was lying in a bed, the kind you get in hospitals. She looked better, obviously she didn't have the stake sticking out of her. She had a bandage wrapped around her chest, and was paler that usual. When she saw me, her face lit up and she smiled stunningly.

"Hey," I said as I walked up to her and smiled back. "How are you feeling?" I sat down in a chair next to her bed and held her hand.

"I've been better. I just don't think I should laugh too much in the next few weeks. I tried, and it hurts like hell." She pouted adorably.

I laughed, just to annoy her, and brushed her hair back from her face.

"It hurts when I talk, too," she said.

"Then don't talk. It'll be a relief for everyone," I smiled as she glared at me and punched my arm lightly.

"How're Claire and Hugh?" she asked.

"They're fine," I said, still stroking her hair. "We were only allowed in one at a time and Hugh noticed that I was going crazy, so he let me come in first."

She smiled as I let my hand rest on her cheek. She lifted her hand and grabbed hold of mine to press it closer.

"I love you," she whispered.

I leaned forwards and rested my forehead against hers.

"I love you too," I murmured.

**Aww... Almost finished!!! I've only got to type up the Epilogue (which I have finished), and then it's all over. I'm quite sad. As soon as I finished it, I exclaimed, "I've finished!!!" My mum looked at me and said, "That's good." I answered, "What am I going to do now?"And just when I've gotten good at getting into Morgead's head. CRUEL WORLD!!!!**


	14. Epilogue

**Yay! Snow day! No school today, so I'm going tobogganing. 8 INCHES OF SNOW!!!!! Yippee!**

**I don't own Night World.**

**Epilogue**

I waited in the... well, the waiting room.

It had been two weeks since Jez and I had been kidnapped. Jez was much better now, thanks to Witches at Circle Daybreak. She was now able to argue, laugh and hit me without too much trouble.

I smiled as I I thought about my angel, who was rapidly becoming very spoilt, and then checked my watch.

I'd been waiting for over ten minutes. What was she doing?

I made up my mind pretty quickly. I wasn't going to wait any longer. I made my way over to the room where Jez had been moved to. I paused outside the door. I heard a Witch say cheerfully, "All done!"

I opened the door and poked my head in. Jez was glaring warily at a Witch.

"What is going on in her? You getting ready to go to the opera or something?" I asked exasperatedly.

Her face lit up when she saw me, as always, but she controlled it quickly and raised her eyebrows, the ghost of a smile still lingering on her lips.

"Maybe. Are you telling me I can't?"

I laughed. She was definitely getting more and more spoilt every day.

The Witch went out of the room and I moved next to Jez.

"I wouldn't dare tell you that. You're the princess, right? You can have anything."

She smiled satisfied. "Right. So how're Hugh and Claire?"

"Claire's fine; she fits right in with the Witches here. I think she's trying to get them to put up a Web page. And Hugh's just his same stupid self. He's off saving chipmunks from toxic waste or something."

"And how about the kid?"

"The kid is living it up. The Daybreakers are crazy about her; something about one of the oldest Old Souls ever found – I dunno. Anyway, they're trying to talk her mum into letting her live here. She says thanks for her life and she's drawing you a picture."

She nodded, her cerulean eyes calm and happy. She looked down at my right hand and smiled.

"Is that chocolate?" she said, leaning forwards to see the box better.

"It's the only reason you like to see me, isn't it?" I said, handing the box to her. She opened it immediately. I sat on the bed next to her, pulling out a tragic expression.

"Nah," she said, her eyes soft. "Everybody brings 'em." She grinned, her cheeks tinting slightly red. "I like to see you for a different reason. "Her blush deepened.

I smiled at her. I was going to make her say it.

"I can't think what that would be," I said.

She pursed her lips, her eyes lighting up in sudden amusement. "Hmm... you're right... maybe there _is _no other reason."

Well, that plan backfired.

"Watch it, Jezebel," I growled. I forwards menacingly.

She narrowed her eyes at me.

"Don't call me that, idiot."

"You're the idiot, idiot."

She bristled slightly, and glared at me, ready for an all-out attack.

"And you're-" she started.

I didn't let her finish. I leaned forwards to kiss her.

And she kissed me back.

_**The End :'(**_

**IT'S FINISHED!!!! WHAT THE HECK AM I GOING TO DO NOW???!!!**

**Well, my plans are to begin uploading a story I've been working on for a while, it's called Jez and Morgead: SuperStar. I'm up to the sixth chapter at the moment.**

**There's also another one, Jez and Morgead: Love Story. I'm also posting it on FanFiction's sister site (Can't remember what it's called!), named Shenandoah. It's the same story, just with different characters. (Apart from Jez and Morgead and uncle Bracken, there are no resemblances to Night World.)**

**Another plan is to write the sequel to Huntress. I started it before, but it was so bad I ripped it up. In that story, there are two possible endings to that one, both are sad but one is sadder than the other. And everyone will probably hate me for eternity if I write the sadder one, BUT it will be more dramatic.**


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